The secretariat of the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture programme has completed its first-ever transatlantic mission – to present the capitals of culture programme in Hancock, Michigan – the centre of Finnish American culture in the USA.
Hancock is a city in the Houghton County of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with a population of 4500. Hancock is widely considered as a cultural capital for Finnish American, and it is home to the Finnish American Heritage Center. According to the most recent federal census, about 40% of Hancock’s population claimed Finnish ancestry.
During the visit, Oliver Loode, head of the secretariat of Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture on 28-29 April visited key institutions and stakeholders of Hancock and in the surrounding Copper Country, in order to present the cultural capitals programme and to discuss opportunities for Hancock’s potential future participation in the programme.
The visit to Hancock included productive meetings with Mary Babcock (City Manager of the City of Hancock), Chris Salani (Superintendent of Hancock Public Schools), Brad Barnett (Executive Director of Visit Keweenaw), Clare Zuraw (Director of Finnish American Folk School), David Maki (Finnish American Heritage Center), among others.
The main event of the visit was a presentation of the international Finno-Ugric movement and, in particular, the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture programme to an audience of over 50 residents of Hancock and the Keweenaw Peninsula on April 29 at the Finnish American Heritage Center. The presentation was followed by an active discussion on Hancock’s prospects to apply for the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture title.
The secretariat also appreciates the opportunity to discuss transatlantic Finno-Ugric cooperation with the local media, including TV6 and on the weekly Copper Country Today radio show.
The Secretariat of the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture is grateful to Jim Kurtti, Honorary Consul of Finland in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, f or hosting us during this historic trip for the international Finno-Ugric movement.
