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European Heritage Days in Finland

European Heritage Days (EHD) is a joint action of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. The aim of EHD is to raise citizens' awareness of Europe's cultural diversity and to inform the public and authorities of the need to protect the cultural heritage against new threats.

The idea of the European Heritage Days was born in 1985 when the French Minister of Culture suggested extending a successful initiative Journées Portes Ouvertes launched in France the year before should be extended to other European countries. The EHD are now celebrated in 50 countries. In Finland the European Heritage Days have been celebrated since 1992, always on the second weekend of September.

In Finland the EHDs focus especially on the built heritage. Events are arranged all over the country by local organisers who plan a variety of interesting activities. They range, for example, from guided tours and lectures to exhibitions and workshops.

Theme 2012 in Finland: Sports and Recreation

2012 is a year of sports. London will host the summer Olympics and Helsinki is looking back 60 years to 1952 when the Olympic Games were held in Helsinki. The legendary Helsinki Olympic Stadium will also be the venue for this year's European Athletic Championships.

Local sports and recreation facilities are immensely important for our well-being and are also a noteworthy part of the built environment. The theme Sports and Recreation highlights our sporting heritage from large stadiums to local sports fields and swimming halls. The EHDs take place on 7-9 September.

Themes year by year

2011 Cultural Routes
2010 Built Landscape
2009 Town and city halls
2008 Houses owned by associations - club houses and community halls
2007 Public Interiors
2006 Places of Arrival and Departure
2005 Gardens and parks
2004 My Home
2003 Houses and Spaces / The celebrations for the national year of built heritage
2002 From Markets to Supermarkets
2001 The built environment of childhood
2000 Land of wood
1999 Local names - Echoes of history
1998 The achievements of the era of reconstruction (during and after WWII)
1997 The buildings of independent Finland decade by decade
1996 Squares
1995 Houses of Faith and their surroundings
1994 My city, my birth place
1993 Industrial Heritage
1992 20th century architecture

Coordination

The coordination of the European Heritage Days in Finland is done in cooperation with the partners represented in the the working group appointed by the Ministry of the Environment:

• The Ministry of the Environment
• The Finnish Local Heritage Federation
• The National Board of Antiquities
• The National Board of Education
• Suomen Kulttuuriperintökasvatuksen Seura ry. (The Finnish Association for Cultural Heritage Education)
• theme related expert members

The above mentioned partners are responsible for the national coordination of the events. The actual work for the celebrations is carried out by local authorities, local associations, private museums and volunteers.

Contact person: Sanna Käyhkö, Ministry of the Environment, erp.ym (@) ymparisto.fi

Links

European Heritage Days
[Council of Europe]

Places of Arrival and Departure

 In 2006 Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden shared a common theme

Houses and Spaces. National Year of Built Heritage 2003
The poster series illustrates the variety of Finland's built heritage.
[Finland's environmental administration]