This year marks the 20th anniversary of the European Cultural Days. In honour of this occasion, the MEK dedicates this year’s programme to the northern European region of Sápmi. The first Cultural Days in 2000 also focused on this region. What has happened since then? How is Sámi cultural heritage preserved and developed today?
In collaboration with international partners, primarily those from Sápmi, we address topics and challenges relevant to this region and its inhabitants today. A programme of lectures, film screenings, panel discussions, music and slow food events offers insight into the diversity of Sámi culture and society. The thematically focussed day entitled "We celebrate our culture" is dedicated to the Sámi duodji and demonstrates their work is much more than a craft. Another day, defined by the slogan "We protect our land", revolves around Sámi activism, "green colonialism" and sustainable tourism. (Specific descriptions about the individual events on these and other days will follow soon.)
The focus on Sámi cultural heritage is not limited to Cultural Days programme: Since late 2022, researchers and artisans from Sápmi have been involved in a project funded by the German Lost Art Foundation in which they investigate the Sámi collection at the MEK. The project space "Áimmuin", set up especially for this collaboration, is first opened to the public as part of the Cultural Days