Lähetysten

Lähetysten is a Finnish term related to diplomatic missions. Lähetystö means an embassy or official diplomatic mission representing a country in a foreign state, and lähetysten is its genitive plural form used when referring to multiple embassies or things related to them. The nominative plural form of the word is lähetystöt.

A lähetystö serves as the primary channel for political-diplomatic relations between the sending state and the host country. It is usually headed by an ambassador, though a chargé d'affaires can lead the mission in the absence of a formally appointed ambassador. The mission operates under international law, notably the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961), which sets out privileges and immunities for diplomats and defines the functions of the mission.

Typical functions include political reporting, negotiation and liaison with the host government, promotion of cultural and economic ties, and protection of the sending state's interests and its citizens abroad. In many countries, consular services such as visa issuance and passport renewal are organized through separate consulates; however, a single mission may provide both diplomatic and consular activities in some cases. Embassies to international organizations are sometimes described as permanent representations or missions to those organizations, depending on national practice.

The term lähetysten is used in Finnish texts to refer to more than one embassy or to the possessions and attributes related to them. The word illustrates how language reflects the structure of international diplomacy, where a network of embassies represents a country around the world.