Kalevala – A Living Epic awarded the European Heritage Label
Kalevala – a living epic will be awarded the European Heritage Label by the European Commission on 17 April 2024. The decision was adopted on 11 April 2024. The label is awarded to sites and heritage entities within the European Union that are of outstanding significance for European history, culture, and integration. In 2024 the label was awarded to seven sites.
Kalevala is one of the few examples of intangible cultural heritage to have received the European Heritage Label. The label was awarded to Kalevala as a living epic that continues to evolve and generate new scholarly, artistic, and cultural interpretations. Kalevala engages audiences across cultural boundaries and serves as a source of inspiration for metal music, fantasy literature, craft traditions, and tattoo art alike. Kalevala has been translated into more than 60 languages.
“This is an important international recognition for Kalevala and its associated living heritage. As part of the European Heritage Label family, it contributes to the broader European narrative tradition,” says Leena Marsio, Senior Adviser at the Finnish Heritage Agency.
Compiled by Elias Lönnrot and first published in 1849, Kalevala draws on Karelian and Finnish folk poetry and is connected to wider European intellectual movements and epic traditions. Kalevala played a significant role in the formation of Finnish national identity. At the same time, it is closely linked to broader European discussions on identity, cultural interaction, and the ownership and interpretation of cultural heritage. In recent years, particular attention has been paid to Kalevala’s relationship with Karelian rune-singing traditions and culture.
“Kalevala is part of our shared European heritage that continuously lives and changes. It also provides a means to discuss the importance of living cultural heritage and cultural diversity in our society,” says Sari Multala, Minister of Science and Culture.
The European Heritage Label awarded to Kalevala is accompanied by the Epic Kaleidoscope project, aimed at young people across Europe. The project explores Finnish and Karelian cultural heritage from contemporary perspectives. It is implemented by the Finnish Literature Society, in cooperation with the Kalevala Society Foundation, the Gallen-Kallela Museum, the Juminkeko Foundation, the Parppeinvaara Rune Singer’s Village, and an extensive network of partners.
European Heritage Label Awarded to 67 Sites
The European Heritage Label is part of the EU’s Creative Europe programme. Since 2013, the label has been awarded to 67 sites and heritage entities, including the 2024 designations. The selected sites represent for example built heritage, documentary heritage, cultural environments, and intangible cultural heritage.
The aim of the label is to strengthen Europeans’ understanding of European history, the development of the European Union, and Europe’s shared and diverse cultural heritage. From Finland, the label was previously awarded in 2022 to the Seminaarinmäki Campus in Jyväskylä and the theme of equal education.
In Finland, the European Heritage Label is coordinated by the Finnish Heritage Agency, which organised an open call for expressions of interest in early 2022. The national selection was carried out by the Finnish Heritage Agency in cooperation with the European Heritage Label steering group, composed of representatives from central government, civil society organisations, and cultural policy research. The next national application round will take place in May–June 2024.
More information
News article about the new sites on the European Commission website
All European Heritage Label sites
More information about the label on the Finnish Heritage Agency website