This weekend (October 26 - 28, 2001) representatives of the creative artists associations of the Baltic and Nordic countries (the St Petersburg area included)have had a seminar at Hässelby slott invited by KLYS discussing and reporting on the rules of the Baltic and Nordic culture in the European context.
We all feel great enthusiasm for further development of the cooperation between the artists of our countries. We have much to learn from each other and feel that we have much in common as neighbours in northern Europe.
The importance of Stockholm as a cultural capital in the region has often been emphasized. We all regret the decision to close down the cultural activities at the Hässelby castle and sell the premises on the market. We find the decision unwise and even a shame. Stockholm will be almost alone among the Nordic capitals to be without a Nordic house or centre.
There is certainly even a greater need for a cultural centre for the cultural cooperation between the neighbouring countries of northern Europe in a time when the smaller states run the risk of being marginalized in the European Union.
We urge you - Ministers of Culture and Ambassadors - to act on our behalf towards the city of Stockholm as well as towards your capitals and governments to recreate a cultural centre at Hässelby for seminars, scholarship rooms for artists of all kinds etc., open to Baltic and Nordic artists. It will have a very great importance for our future cooperation, as well as it will stand as an essential symbol for Baltic and Nordic cooperation.
The construction of this new organization could be patterned on the one that has been working for many years. The inclusion of the Baltic countries will make it even more valuable.
An entrepreneur (Amica AB at present) takes care of the hotel,Conference activities, restaurant etc. The city of Stockholm keeps the responsibility for the maintenance of the buildings and the park. And a new organization is founded representing the Baltic and Nordic countries as well as their capitals, in many ways as a successor of the now defunct Foundation Hässelby.
These ideas are strongly supported by the representatives of the creative
artists organizations present at Hässelby slott today.
Hässelby October 28, 2001
Peter Curman,
President of KLYS
on behalf of participants of cultural organizations
from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Faeroe islands,
Island, Greenland, Sameland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
and Russia