Int´l landscape Day to be observed on Oct 20

International Landscape Day will be celebrated in Finland and elsewhere in the world on October 20.

This year’s Europe-wide theme is ‘Landscape and Water.’ The theme was selected to focus on the value of water in the landscape.

Water both calms and livens up a landscape at the same time, and it also affects the soundscape, said a press release of Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)

Living in the land of a thousand lakes, water plays an important role in the everyday lives of Finns.

A photography campaign will be organised on Instagram by the Ministry of the Environment and the Finnish Environment Institute on the occasion to encourage people to observe water in their surroundings on Landscape Day.

The competition jury will select the best shots from the photographs shared with the #arkimaisema hashtag on International Landscape Day. Winners will be rewarded with book prizes related to the theme.

The jury will be chaired by Environment Counsellor Tapio Heikkilä from the Ministry of the Environment.

“The purpose of #arkimaisema is to observe and interpret landscapes, no matter how small or large, rural or urban, boring or perceived as valuable they are. Understanding the essence of the landscape is a step towards preserving it,” according to Heikkilä.

Landscape Day is organised by the Ministry of the Environment and the Finnish Environment Institute. The Finnish Local Heritage Federation and the Rural Women’s Advisory Organisation are also involved. The programme includes walking tours in valuable landscape areas. International Landscape Day is part of the European Heritage Days programme.