Living heritage in the Nordic countries

Living heritage is a current topic gaining awareness all over the world. In the era of global crises, where political instability, cultural alienation as well as political, religious and ideological extremism continue gaining validity, the seminar aims to tackle issues of sustainable development, social cohesion and cultural diversity within a context of cross-sectorial expertise.

Now for the first time Nordic actors gathered together for a conference in Finland to discuss about safeguarding, joint projects and sharing good practices. As urged by the Faro Convention, the conference gave special focus on the role of communities and NGO’s.

The conference consisted of keynotes from all Nordic countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, including Greenland, Faroe Islands and Åland as well as from the Baltic countries and Canada.

As part of the programme a Wheel chart for Sustainable Development was launched and tested at the World Saving Clinic. Learn more and download the tool here.

The seminar was organized by the Finnish Heritage Agency in co-operation with the Ministry of Education and Culture, Hanaholmen Cultural Centre, Arts Promotion Centre Finland, he Finnish National Commission for UNESCO and the Royal Embassy of Norway.

PROGRAMME (see presentations and links for videos in red)

Thursday 31st October

Chair of the day: Pirjo Hamari, Finnish Heritage Agency

10.00 Welcome Speeches (video)

Maria Romantschuk, Hanaholmen Cultural Centre
Riitta Kaivosoja, Ministry of Education and Culture
Juhani Kostet, Finnish Heritage Agency

10.20 Keynote Role of Communities and NGOs in the Safeguarding of ICH (pdf)
Susanne Schnuttgen, UNESCO Living Heritage Section (video)

10:50 Panel discussion Nordic perspectives on the UNESCO 2003 Convention (video)

• Leena Marsio, Finnish Heritage Agency
• Annika Sjöberg, Institute for Language and Folklore, Sweden
• Hildegunn Bjørgen, Kultturådet – Arts Council Norway
• Maria Lanng, Danish Folklore Archives
• Staffan Beijar, Ålands museum
• Armgarð Weihe, Cultural Ministry of the Faroe Islands
• Kirstine Eiby Møller, Greenland’s National Museum and Archive
• Rúnar Leifsson, Ministry of Culture, Iceland

12:15 Discussion and questions
12:30 Lunch break

13:30 Workshops

• ICH and sustainable development (Aura Seikkula, Arts Promotion Centre Finland)
• ICH in education (Ira Vihreälehto and Kati Nurmi, Foundation for Cultural Heritage Education (FI)
• ICH and museums (Kirstine Eiby Møller, Greenland’s National Museum and Archive; Reetta Karhunkorva, Finnish Forest Museum Lusto)
• Nordic – Baltic cooperation (Matti Hakamäki, Finnish Folk Music Institute; Dag Feldborg, Norwegian Crafts Institute; Mare Mätas, Kihnu Cultural Space, EE)

15:00 Coffee Break

15.30 Conclusions and discussion,
Katriina Siivonen, Finland Futures Research Centre

16.15 End of Day one

20-22 Sauna with the possibility to swim in the Baltic Sea,
ABC of Sauna by Laura Seesmeri, PhD in Sauna traditions

Friday 1st November

Chair of the day: Antti Huntus, Arts Promotion Centre Finland

10.00 Presentations

Safeguarding Practises (pdf), Eivind Falk, Norwegian Crafts Institute (video)

Boost from UNESCO (pdf), Meg Nömgård, The Museum of Legends (SE) (video)

Developing a regional ICH strategy (link), Johanna Björkholm, KulturÖsterbotten (FI) (video)

11.00 Panel discussion: Safeguarding Practices and the Involvement of Communities (video)

• Antti Huntus, Arts Promotion Centre (FI)
• Markku Vaaraniemi, Pro Siika NGO (FI)
• Marit Stranden, ICH instructor (NO)
• Mare Mätas, Kihnu Cultural Space (EE)
• Anita Vaivade, Latvian Culture Academy (LV)
• Siri Wernberg, Sámi Parliament (NO)

12:00 Discussion

12:30 Lunch Break

13:30 Workshops

• UNESCO nominations (Eivind Falk, Norwegian Crafts Institute)
• Living heritage, cultural diversity and indigenous peoples (Hildegunn Bjørgen, Arts Council Norway; Marit Myrvoll, Várdobáiki Sámi Museum (NO)
• Good Safeguarding Practices in different domains
  • Performing arts (Marit Stranden, ICH Instructor, Norway; Jaana Kari, Finnish Youth Association / Folklandia)
  • Safeguarding crafts (Solveig Grinder, Norwegian Folk Art and Craft Association; Kikka Jelisejeff, The Finnish Crafts Organization TAITO)
  • Oral traditions (Meg Nömgård, The Museum of Legends (SE); Markus Luukkonen, NGO Samova Storytelling (FI)
  • Nature and living heritage (Riitta Vanhatalo, Finnish Local Heritage Federation; Harri Nyman, Tuusula Museum (FI) Snow games (pdf) Discussion cards (pdf)

15:30 Discussion and Conclusions

16:00 End of the Seminar

Saturday 2nd November

World Saving Clinic 10 am to 4 pm

As part of the programme a Wheel chart for Sustainable Development was launched and tested at the World Saving Clinic. Learn more and download the tool here.

More information: Leena Marsio, Finnish Heritage Agency, leena.marsio(at)museovirasto.fi +358 29533 6017 Jaana Tamminen, Hanaholmen – the Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre, jaana.tamminen(at)hanaholmen.fi, +358 40 54 54 972