The Baltic Sea Cultural Pearl 2025 is the municipality of Peipsiääre

Text Susanna Poikela
Photo Sibulatee

This year’s Baltic Sea Region Cultural Pearls 2025 are Helsingborg (Sweden), Peipsiääre Municipality (Estonia), Alytus Region (Lithuania), Płock (Poland), Kaskinen (Finland) and Smiltene (Latvia). A total of 14 localities and regions took part in the competition. The international jury that selected this year’s cultural pearls was made up of experts in urban planning, art and culture.

The municipality of Peipsiääre prepared a development plan to preserve the culture of the region. One of the activities organised for local young people is a workshop entitled “How to be and live culturally rich in your hometown?“, where young people are invited to come up with ideas for the future of the municipality. In addition, there will be a dance party in Kodavere and a Living in the Country Day for the people of Kallaste, Estonia’s smallest town. Youth camps for young people are also planned.

“Our municipality is culturally diverse, because the cultures of Kodavere and Russian Old Believers live side by side here, as well as the heritage of Baltic German manor culture. They are expressed in language, customs, food and events. But we want to further increase the community’s resilience to change through cultural initiatives. So we want to support youth work to keep young people connected to their place of origin. Another big goal is to show both locals and visitors that the municipality of Peipsiääre is a fertile ground for creative ideas to take root”, Piibe Koemets, Mayor of Peipsiääre, describes the municipality’s development goals in an article by Maaleht.

To learn more about this and similar topics
Baltic German Manor Cultural Initiatives in Estonia Cultural Pearls 2025 Kodavere Peipsi Peipsiääre Russian Old Believers Youth Camps Peipsiääre