Celebrating the theme year of Living Heritage in Oodi

Monday, October 9, 2023, 13.00-16.00, Maijansali, Helsinki Central Library Oodi, Töölönlahdenkatu 4, 00100 Helsinki

This year, there are many good reasons to celebrate living heritage! We are commemorating the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and Finland's 10-year journey as a member state of the Convention. Additionally, the theme of the European Cultural Heritage Days in 2023 is living heritage.

The main celebration of the theme year will take place in Maijansali at the Central Library Oodi on Monday, October 9th, from 13.00 to 16.00. The event will feature a wide range of discussions, performances, and demonstrations from the field of intangible cultural heritage. New additions to the National Inventory of Living Heritage will be announced during the event. The winners of the Wiki Loves Living Heritage photo contest will also be awarded.

The event is organized by the Finnish Heritage Agency and the Finnish National Commission for UNESCO and is part of the European Cultural Heritage Days program.

The event is open to all. The language of the event will be Finnish.

The event is expected to attract stakeholders in intangible cultural heritage, working with performing arts, crafts, oral traditions, and nature-related traditions, including practitioners, researchers, as well as representatives from museums, archives, and educational institutions.

Be sure to reserve your spot soon as only 100 participants can join us on-site! The event will also be live-streamed on the Living Heritage YouTube channel.

The recording of the event can be requested from leena.marsio (at) museovirasto.fi. See a part of the event here.

PROGRAM

13.00 Prelude: Mäntyharjun huuliharpistit

13:10 Opening: Minister of Science and Culture Sari Multala

13:20 Greetings from the Finnish Heritage Agency, Director-General Tiina Merisalo, Finnish Heritage Agency

13:25 Ten years of intangible work in Finland, Leena Marsio, Finnish Heritage Agency

13:40 Panel Discussion: Why does intangible cultural heritage matter for the whole society?
Moderator: Pauliina Latvala-Harvilahti, Chair of the ICH Advisory Group
Teivo Teivainen, Finnish National Commission for UNESCO / University of Helsinki
Matti Hakamäki, Folk Music Institute
Minna Hyytiäinen, The Finnish Crafts Organization Taito
Teppo Ylitalo, Finnish Local Heritage Federation
Helka Ketonen, Association For Rural Culture and Education

14:15 Raakaa tradia feat Leija Lautamaja! The stage is taken over by a community of tradition reinterpreters consisting of professional folk dancers and musicians.

14:30 Coffee Break

15:00 Announcement of new elements in the National Inventory of Living Heritage and the winners of the Wiki Loves Living Heritage photo contest. Tiina Merisalo, Director-General of the Finnish Heritage Agency

15:15 Panel Discussion: Safeguarding and Transmitting Living Heritage – Experiences from the field

15.55 Closing Remarks

16.00 Event Concludes