Name: Finland-Swedish Cultural Talks
Start: 2025-03-17T17:30:00+02:00
End: 2025-03-17T19:30:00+02:00
Location: Georgsgatan 27, 00100 Helsinki, Finland

We invite you to a series of talks dedicated to Finland-Swedish culture. We will discuss history, art, literature, and music.
17.3
Сultural talk: History
For about 700 years, Sweden and Finland were one country ruled by the same kings. Laws and churches, cities, and universities sprang up in parallel on both sides of the Gulf of Bothnia of the Baltic Sea. When Finland became part of the Russian Empire, it continued to develop on this Swedish foundation. When the country gained independence, Finnish Swedes remained an essential part of Finnish society, and Swedish remains one of the country's official languages.
21.4
Сultural talk: Art
We will look at the medieval churches built during Swedish rule and decorated with beautiful frescoes. We will listen to the music of the great Finnish composer Sibelius and learn about the creators of the Golden Age of Finnish art, which fell in the 1880s-1910s and coincided with the national awakening.
19.5
Сultural talk: Swedish language and Literature
The talk is about literature and the cultural and historical significance of the Swedish language in Finland.
Much of the most important Finnish literature is written in Swedish. For example, Swedish-speaking poet Johan Ludwig Runeberg wrote the national anthem, Vårt Land (Our
Land). The mother of the Moomins, Tove Jansson, a world-famous Finnish writer, wrote her books in Swedish. We will talk about the mysterious Swedish letter that got into the Finnish alphabet and about the Swedish-speaking islands on the map of Finland.
The cultural talks will be held by Polina Andersson, art historian and authorized Helsinki guide, and a member of the professional associations Helsingfors Auktoriserade Turistguider rf and Inter Nordic Guide Club.
At the end of every event, our speaker will share with you her recommendations about interesting places in Helsinki and nearby related to the topics of our Cultural Talks, museums and books, which may be of interest to those who want to learn more about the history and culture of Swedish Finland.