The Interreg Aurora funded small-scale project Network of Finno-Ugric cultures in the North (2023-08-01 – 2024-01-31) aimed to build strengthened cross-border partnerships between actors interested in enhancing Finno-Ugric languages and cultures in the areas of Eastern Finland and Northern areas of Sweden and Norway.
“The Pre-study for capacity building a network of cooperation in the field of Finno Ugric cultures, languages and sustainable tourism in the North -project was an important step on project cooperation between cultural operators which are interested in giving support for Finno-Ugric cultures and languages in Northern countries. It is important to notice that those languages are spoken in all Nordic countries, and the groups are developing their cultural activities and cultural tourism in the area. On one hand, we found possibilities for the future. The partners got acquainted with each other, and found also ways to enhance cultural tourism in the area. The Singing Heritage Route, which earlier was planned to connect the eastern parts of Finland and Baltic countries, can be expended to Norway. In some discussion there was also discussed to develop the Route to the Meänkieli-area in Sweden. In the following step, we find many possibilities in this, and it is very important in present situation. Eastern Finland and Northern part of Norway need to develop their cooperation. Another result was the prospect of research in an practical basis on different cultural phenomena connected to the Finno Ugric language traditions in the area. The languages and cultures need support, and cooperation is one way to intensify and coordinate the supporting activities. This also gives new perspective for sustainable cultural tourism in the area” says the project manager Pekka Huttu-Hiltunen.
The project partners plan to continue cooperation. A result from the small-scale project is that the partnership was strengthened with new partners that could join a future regular scale Interreg project.
Read more about the small-scale project Network of Finno-Ugric cultures in the North.
