April 20, 2023

A case study of Lithuanian-Nordic project Heja Norden!

Saulius Abraskevicius, Information adviserThe Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania

April 20, 2023

What will it be about?

• Nordic Council of Ministers in the Baltic States & Russia

• Project Heja Norden! – background, presumptions and goals

• What, how and when? Time for action

• Events of the sports week

• Media coverage

• Visual evidences

April 20, 2023

Nordic Council of Ministers in the Baltic States & Russia

• Inter-governmental cooperation: 5 countries and 3 autonomous regions

• Baltic States since 1991, Russia since 1995

• Cross border coop, research and education, social and health issues, environment and culture

• NCM Lithuania – 1 big annual project promoting Nordic countries

• Ultima Thule (2004), Vilnius Alibi (2005), Friends from the North (2006), Common shores (2007) and Heja Norden! (2008)

April 20, 2023

Heja Norden! – background, presumptions and goals

• Lithuanians are less active in doing sports than Nordic inhabitants, 50% vs 20%

• Not everything is money; different attitudes

• Lack of physical activity – impact on health, life duration and happiness?

• Same region – different values

• Present Nordic experience in promoting physical exercise and sports for all

• Bring Nordic sports that are less known in Lithuania

• Initiate discussion on how to improve the situation in sport

April 20, 2023

What, how and when? Time for action

• A series of Nordic Sport Events Heja Norden!, Vilnius, Lithuania

• Special website on the Internet www.hejanorden.lt

• Competition Photo Games (April 14 – May 18)

• Experiment Week on a Bicycle (May 7 – May 14)

• Different sport events (May 10 – May 18)

April 20, 2023

April 20, 2023

Events of the sports week

• Opening event Carry her on your arms! / Wife carrying, ca 250 participants

• Curling tournament for families Play with your family, ca 100 participants

• International conference Sports for all: Experiences of Nordic countries and Lithuania, ca 200 participants

• Cultural orienteering/ searching for Nordic footprints in Vilnius, ca 150 participants

• Introduction seminar in Nordic walking for coaches, ca 30 participants

• Nordic sport open-air festival in Vingis park, ca 600 participants

April 20, 2023

Media coverage

Media type/Event

Internet media Press TV Radio Total

Wife carrying competition 11 11 5 2 29

Experiment Week on a bicycle 7 4 3 1 15

Open air Nordic sports festival 5 4 1 - 10

Cultural orienteering 2 1 - 1 4

Curling tournament for families 3 - - - 3

International conference Sports for all

1 1 1 - 3

Competition Photo games 1 1 - - 2

Seminar on Nordic walking - - - - 0

Total 30 22 10 4 66

Wife carrying

Wife carrying

Wife carrying

Experiment Week on a bicycle

Experiment Week on a bicycle

Curling tournament

Curling tournament

Cultural orienteering

Cultural orienteering

Open air Nordic sport festival

Open air Nordic sport festival

Open air Nordic sport festival

Open air Nordic sport festival

April 20, 2023