All elements of the WCS2013 social and cultural programme aim to have Science as an overarching theme and provide thorough background information to participants about the topics and aspects of Finnish culture.
Social programme pickings
Welcome reception – Monday 24 June, 16:00
The official opening ceremony of WCSJ2013 will be held at University of Helsinki Main Building, the beautiful Great Hall. The evening will be the setting for an opening address by the President of the Conference, the President of the WFSJ and other distinguished guests. The event will include a drinks and food reception and some live entertainment.
The event is included in the registration fee. All are welcome!
City orienteering - Tuesday 25 June
The fastest way to experience the Finnish Life! In this playful and entertaining competition, participants collect ‘Finnish points’ by successfully navigating their way between control points in the very heart of Helsinki. The routes will be with marked with tasks aimed at making you more familiar with features of Finnish life and culture: for instance, through local food tastings, or the no small challenge of reading Finnish texts aloud. Evaluators will give out the points. The team with the most points will be rewarded at the night party at the Bio Rex theatre, where Finnish short film showing will take place, with a service of snacks and drinks.
Pesäpallo/pesis - Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 June
The funnest thing you can do with a glove, bat and ball: pesäpallo [pesæpɑlːo] (or informally pesis), also referred to as “Finnish baseball”. Pesäpallo, developed in the 1920s, is the national sport of Finland and a popular game enjoyed by many Finns, at school as well as during leisure time. It can be played by almost anybody, and we will teach you how! It has it all: hitting, catching, running and strategic thinking – and is really great fun!
Open-air dance night at Lammassaari - Wednesday 26 June
Open-air dancing is a Finnish tradition that used to be very popular in the 50’s and 60’s. After some decades of disco dancing, open-air stages in woodlands were born again and gained a new audience and popularity. You don’t need to know how to dance – we will teach you the basic steps and the live orchestra will keep up the mood. Lammassaari is a special place: an island covered with woods and tiny cottages –– almost in the middle of the city. A Finnish summer night with food, drinks, tango as well as ‘letkajenkka’ really has the makings of a memorable experience.
An evening at the National Archives of Finland – Wednesday 26 June, 18:00-19:00
What treasures of Finnish history are hidden in one hundred kilometres of records? Is there a link between seals and coats of arms on one hand and recognition of shape and outline on the other? Who were Cyril and Methodius and how did they change the world?
Information on archives and source material for research will be served in the National Archives Wednesday June 26th 2013 at 18.00 – 19.00 o’clock. Address: Rauhankatu 17.
RSVP [email protected] before June 25th.
Helsinki Observatory - Wednesday 26 June, 19:00
With its three revolving observation towers and fuctional design, Helsinki Observatory was the most modern astronomical observatory when it was opened in 1834. It served as a model for classical observatories all over the world. After recent restoration the Observatory has been turned into a astronomical science centre in the city center. The evening at the observatory and a buffet dinner in its hidden garden is sponsored by European Space Agency.
What do icebreakers do during their summer break? - Wednesday 26 June
In the wintertime the Baltic sea along the Finnish coast is frozen for several months and icebreakers are working hard to assist merchant vessels through the ice. Now you have an unique opportunity to experience a huge and forceful icebreaker from the inside on board IB Sisu at the Katajanokka icebreaker quay. Our host is Arctia Shipping, the state-owned company in charge of the Finnish icebreakers. During the visit you will hear about icebreaking as well as about ice research done by the Finnish Meteorological Institute both in the Baltic and in the Arctic Ocean.
The visit to IB Sisu takes place on Wednesday evening 26 June starting 17.30. We leave from the conference venue right after the afternoon plenary and go to Katajanokka in two groups, by walking (distance 1,2 km) or by tram. The visit on board Sisu starts at 18.00 and takes about two hours.
The group is restricted to 40 persons and the registration to the visit is binding, since the names of the participants have to be reported in advance.
Barbecue dinner at Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre - Thursday 27 June
The closing of the conference will be celebrated at Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre. The evening will offer engaging science experiences both indoors and outdoors, including basketball-playing rats, a virtual Lapland winter trip under the Aurora Borealis in the digital planetarium, and an exclusive adult version of the phenomenal “Cool Fire” science show. Heureka (opened 1989) is a cultural landmark in Finland, visited by close to 300 000 annual visitors. Its travelling science exhibitions have been experienced by more than 12 million people in over 20 countries on four continents.
