Commentator: Paula Purhonen, Director General, The National Board of Antiquities, Finland

Actors, organisations & networks active in the field of immovable heritage in Europe INSTITUTIONS

ORGANISATIONS

Europa Nostra

ICCROM

NETWORKS

Council of Europe (CDPAT)

European Union

The European Heritage Heads Forum EHHF

Europae Archaeologiae Consilium EAC

International Council on Monuments and Sites - ICOMOS

Cultural Heritage Cooperation in the Baltic Sea States (Monitoring Committee & Working Groups)

PROJECTS

Finnish-Russian Cultural Forum

The main problem is not the lack of forums. The true challenge is: how to strengthen the commitment of the partaking countries. how to intertwine the initiatives and activities of cultural heritage organisations and networks active at the European level. My message is: we should build up synergies, strengthen political good will in the issues of heritage presentation, and create both administrative and financial possibilities for innovative projects.

Castles and Fortifications Finnish-Russian cultural tourism project

Hamina 1780 -

Paula Purhonen, Director General, State Archaeologist, National Board of Antiquities, 18.9.2006 Kajaani

Project idea The idea of the Castles and Fortifications project was launched in the meeting of the FinnishRussian Cultural Forum in Novgorod 2001,where Henrik Lilius, Director General of the National Board of Antiquities, presented an initiative of developing a joint, cross-border cultural tourism route.

In the Cultural Forum held in Lappeenranta 2002, the thematic seminar held its first session. The project was named as The Castles and Fortifications and sites to be included in the project were selected.

The content of the project The Castles and Fortifications meeting decided to:

produce a common website www.fort.fi in Finnish, Russian, Swedish and English ++ publish a pocket-size guide books in four languages + develop cultural tourism products with local actors sites of the actors are linked to the www.fort.fi website ++ introduce a common logo + final decision of the logo will be made during this Conference. make a small exhibition presenting the sites + Kronstadt presents a model during this Conference ++ implemented organize thematic history seminars and events + + in preparation Fortifications as Prisons seminar in Käkisalmi 2007 develop partner co-operation between the sites ++ Hamina and Kronstadt have agreed on partnership 2005 aspire becoming a part of the Council of Europe's Cultural Routes program at a later stage obtain a transboundary serial nomination in the Unesco World Heritage List

The content of the project The Castles and Fortifications meeting decided to:

produce a common website www.fort.fi in Finnish, Russian, Swedish and English ++ publish a pocket-size guide books in four languages + develop cultural tourism products with local actors sites of the actors are linked to the www.fort.fi website ++ introduce a common logo + final decision of the logo will be made during this Conference. make a small exhibition presenting the sites + Kronstadt presents a model during this Conference ++ implemented organize thematic history seminars and events + + in preparation Fortifications as Prisons seminar in Käkisalmi 2007 develop partner co-operation between the sites ++ Hamina and Kronstadt have agreed on partnership 2005 aspire becoming a part of the Council of Europe's Cultural Routes program at a later stage obtain a transboundary serial nomination in the Unesco World Heritage List

The progress of the project

Ivangorod -

The representatives of the sites have assembled for meetings in the context of forums in St Petersburg 2003, in Turku 2004, in Vologda 2005 and in Kajaani 2006. The Castles and Fortifications project and its participants greatly benefit from organizing their meetings in connection with wide and dynamic Finnish-Russian Cultural Forums also in the future. The project has evolved from the early stage of ideas and plans to collegial co-operation and shared objectives.

The problems

Käkisalmi (Korela - Kexholm - Priozersk) -

The achievement of the aims is delayed, because the project meetings are not organized often enough. Deficient language skills and dissimilarities in practices cause delays and misunderstandings Funding of the project is uncertain. Problems with communication technology

The Castles and Fortifications project

Kajaani castle -

Ka a

Scenes of war to common symbols of peace and cultural heritage Sources of information for the cultural tourists A major route of sites to be utilized for business activities