Content: The overall objective is to keep the rural communities in Torne Valley vital
and utilize the natural resources sustainably. Project is necessary to protect,
promote and demonstrate the cross-border tradition of dipnet communities in a
way that benefits the tourism and business in Torne Valley and increases the
attractiveness of northern Finland and Sweden in the spirit of
Unesco-convention.

1. The specific goal and the concrete need of the project is to preserve the
hundreds of years old cultural heritage for coming generations. Dipnetting is a
rare cultural specialty that creates and strengthens not only local identity
but more broadly "who we are" as Finns and Swedes.

2. Sustainability in the tourism development related to the living cultural
heritage can contribute to the preservation of practices and bring economic
benefits to the region and dipnet fishing communities.

3. Enhancing the role of the culture and sustainable tourism in economic
development, social inclusion and social innovations. The attractiveness of
Torne Valley increases and the communities are more included and strong. This
gives opportunities to wider product development possibilities and creating new
unique market points.

The project is continuation of the long-term safeguarding work of the unique
Torne River's dipnet fishing culture. The tradition practitioners have
initiated the project widely as a key group. The local museums, Cross-border
Development Office and several partners are performing the project work. This
project will highlight and complete, with new digital tools and activities, the
work done during the previous milestones in preserving the tradition.

The post of the cultural heritage coordinator will be permanent after the
Unesco listing. The network created in the project will become established, so
in the future the work will not require so many resources but will be handled
as part of the actions of the Museum of Torne Valley.

Focus area: Konst kultur och entreprenörskap

Campus: Jakobstad

Financers: Interreg Aurora, Lapin Liitto, Region Norrbotten, ProSiika ry

Project owner: City of Tornio

Project manager: Tobias Björkskog

Partners: City of Tornio, Haparanda kommun, Region Norrbotten