In Latvia, in Specially Protected Cultural Monument there is a space – Folk Song Hill, which in the national consciousness has gained symbolic importance over time, associating with European values – freedom, democracy, equality and unity in diversity. For 35 years already it is a place, where young people explore in a creative way the intangible cultural heritage by participating in the activities of Latvian traditional customs celebrations and educational programmes organized by the Turaida Museum Reserve. It is the place, where events of the local community take place – ancient rituals of family celebrations, events of the International Folklore Festival “BALTICA” under the aegis of CIOFF. The message of Folk Song Hill is exciting for all generations. It is a link between heritage, history and culture.

Each country has cultural sites, which in the national consciousness gain symbolic importance over time, associating with certain universal values – freedom, unity, identity and belonging. Here in Latvia, Folk Song Hill is connected with these values. It is located in the territory of Specially Protected Cultural Monument – the Turaida Museum Reserve. Folk Song Hill is sculpture garden created by natural landscape and men. It tells about the accumulated intangible cultural heritage, world order of things included in the Latvian folk songs and system of values based on the Latvian traditional wisdom and experience of life. The idea of establishing Folk Song Hill belongs to the Director of the Turaida Museum Reserve Anna Jurkāne. Since 1980, innumerable hours have been spent in reflection and work to develop Folk Song Hill and later also Folk Song Garden and Folk Song Park, intially meeting a like-minded sculptor Indulis Ranka (1934-2017), then with assistance of experts over the years and involving hundreds of people in joint work to establish Folk Song Hill. This idea fascinates society, because we all are united by the desire for freedom that has been oppressed in the years of Soviet Power. People of all generations participated in joint work to develop Folk Song Hill. Folk Song Hill is created in honour of the Latvian folk songs and their collector folklorist Krišjānis Barons (1835-1923), who compiled folk songs in a unique Folk Song Cabinet, entered in the International Register of the UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme in 2001. Folk Song Hill was opened on 7 July 1985 with a grand folklore festival. Starting form the years of its creation, Folk Song Hill has become a place of nation’s spirit, self-awareness and strength. In the period of time between 1986 and 1991, which is important in the recent history of the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia), because it concludes with the restoration of national independence in all three countries, Folk Song Hill becomes a symbol of the Singing Revolution. Also International Folklore Festival “Baltica” under the aegis of CIOFF takes place here, where, in 1988, for the first time in Latvia the national red-white-red flag was shining again. Over several years, every Sunday, the people gathered, being united in Latvian folk songs, to sing out the cravings for freedom, to promote national self-awareness and a sense of belonging to their country. These activities are part of unitary movement of society, which at that time manifest itself as nonviolent resistance. In the people’s memory it has obtained a symbolic name “The Singing Revolution” and is linked to the campaign “The Baltic Way”, which took place on 23 August 1989 and resonated in Europe. In 2019, on the basis of these events, the Turaida Museum Reserve arranged a temporary exhibition “On the Way of Light. The 30th Anniversary of the Baltic Way”. In 2009, “The Baltic Way – a human chain of the three states in common efforts for freedom” is recorded in the International Register of the UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme. It is a documentary heritage, which tells about this historical event. Folk Song Hill has already lived symbolically its life for 35 years. It is a place, where children and young people in creative way learn about the intangible cultural heritage, participating in Latvian annual custom celebrations and educational programmes and in different activities organized by museum. They acquire ancient traditions over the year in an interactive way. In spring – Shrovetide carnival, by studying processes in nature, bidding farewell to winter, participating in masked people processions. At Easter – greeting the sun, learning about birds. During summer solstice – making flower crowns and learning about folk traditions observed when nature reaches its maturity. In autumn – making ancient masks for Martin’s day and winter solstice, preparing their own presents, learning how to make room decor – puzurs (Latvian traditional straw decoration) and always – singing folk songs. Learning process is diverse, understandable for young people of different nations. Folk Song Hill is the site of the ancient rituals of family celebrations. Place, where tourists from all over the world can feel what is diverse and what is unifying in the cultures of different nations. The mission of the Turaida Museum Reserve is to establish a harmonic society by demonstrating the development of Latvian wisdom and experience of life through the environmental, cultural and historical treasures, which have been collected in and around Turaida during the past millennium. “We perceive the world in a variety of manifestations, through both the signs and symbols of images. Through the centuries, peoples have made their own recognition system of signs, traditions and values. Folk Song Hill has become the sign of cultural heritage, the site, where folk songs live and sound”, says Anna Jurkāne, director of the Turaida Museum Reserve. In order to increase participation of the younger generation, interested in the interactive and digital forms of the learning process and taking into account a large number of European citizens, exceeding annually 260 000 people, who visit Folk Song Hill, the Turaida Museum Reserve wants to make the story about the cultural space – Folk Song Hill more open and accessible to visitors by creating “Story bench” on Folk Song Hill. Taking a rest on the bench and enjoying the unique landscape of the ancient Gauja valley, which embrace the Medieval Stone Castle of Turaida, the visitors would hear the Story about the way of one of the European nations towards freedom and the way to inherited values over the centuries and listen to the records of Latvian folk songs. Every visitor would be able to name and record himself values of his nation, which are important in the 21st century. It will be audio Story in four languages (English, German, French and Latvian).

The European dimension is winding through the Folk Song Hill’s Story like a red thread. Information recorded in the Latvian folk songs reveals the nation’s wisdom of life and experience, unwritten rules, which through the centuries have determined the order necessary for the nation’s existence. The values deeply embedded in them – family, virtue, nature, protection of fatherland, good relationships among people and others – are the source, where to get wisdom of the nation’s survival, a sense of belonging to the people also today, especially in difficult for the people times. These values are recognizable by every nation, because they are universal and have been polished and tested over the centuries. The Folk Song Hill’s Story about nation’s craving for freedom and formation of a sense of belonging is like one example in the processes of existence of the small nations. It is like a good example for every nation to evaluate the heritage of previous generations. The events of the nonviolent resistance movement, which took place between 1986 and 1991, and are called “The Singing Revolution”, in Latvia and on Folk Song Hill ackowledged the openness of Latvia and the Baltic States to European values – freedom, democracy, equality. Joint voluntary work of community, countless events and people’s meetings on Folk Song Hill gave confidence about the unity of the people in achieving their goals. This impressive example of the nonviolent resistance, where one of its manifestations was human chain across the Baltic States – “The Baltic Way”, has become for human society a symbol of victory. Since its very beginning, in 1988, every third year Folk Song Hill has been hosting participants of the International Folklore Festival “Baltica”, which takes place under the aegis of CIOFF. At gatherings they discover cultural diversity of European nations and searching for common points of contact they promote exchange of cultural ideas. Folk Song Hill is an important part of the cultural landscape, demonstrating harmony created by nature and man. Diverse cultural landscapes form an important part of European heritage and serve as evidence of past and present relations between the natural and man-made environment. The message of Folk Song Hill is exciting for all generations. It is the link between heritage, history and culture. The Turaida Museum Reserve is implementing a number of educational programmes, also in English, involving over the years more than 5 000 young people in exploration of heritage from different European countries.