The Embassy of Finland in Belgrade, together with the Serbian-Finnish Association “SEURA”, celebrated the Kalevala Day on February 28, 2024 at UK Parobrad in Belgrade
The evening dedicated to “Kalevala”, the Finnish national epic, was opened by Mr. Niklas Lindqvist, Ambassador of Finland to Serbia, who on this occasion emphasized:
– The significance of “Kalevala” goes beyond its literary merit. It is a source of national pride and a testament to the enduring strength of the Finnish identity. The characters and stories within its verses have become an integral part of the Finnish culture, influencing art, music and literature for generations.
Thanks to the program, which was prepared by the members of the Serbian-Finnish Association “SEURA”, we learned something more about Elias Lönnrot – who compiled the “Kalevala”, after travelling hundreds of kilometers collecting folk songs and poetry. The language in “Kalevala” was the inspiration for the language of the elves in “The Lord of the Rings”, but differs from the modern Finnish language. The audience had the opportunity to hear the songs from “Kalevala” performed by the Choir “Seura”, as well as to learn more about the importance of the kantele, a traditional Finnish string instrument, which is the Finnish national instrument.
