Exercise and Cultural Cooperation and Camp Exchange
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

The project goal was to plan an operational model that could be used to promote cooperation in sports education culture between Joensuu and Russian Karelia and the St. Petersburg area. The goal of the project was to increase exercise-related travel in the Joensuu region by 1,500–2,000 overnight stays.

Main activities

• Creating relationships between the Eastern Finland Sports Institute and Russian cooperative partners and marketing the services offered by the institute, • Marketing of sports camps in Russia handled by the cooperative partners in the project. • Arranging a seminar with The State Committee of the Republic of Karelia on Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism where the administration and organisation of sports and exercise were discussed. Producing a joint publication of the seminar. • Producing brochures for: the Eastern Finland Sports Institute and its nearby exercise locations, Finnhostel Joensuu, a children’s camp, an exercise package, the institute’s dance instructor and sports massage therapist training, and for a course about exercise instruction for groups with special needs.

Achievements

The project activities focused on creating relationships between the Eastern Finland Sports Institute and Russian cooperative partners and marketing the services offered by the institute. The project created good partnerships in the areas of sports, tourism and educational life and administration. Interest in exercise cooperation with the sports clubs in Joensuu was increased among student groups in Petrozavodsk in particular. The meetings planned together with the Town of Pitkäranta for the local and Joensuu sports teams did not take place, as some of the teams from Joensuu were not willing to travel to Russia. Student and teacher exchange was implemented with dance instructor training. The planned quantitative goal of the project regarding the number of stayed nights was not achieved; however, the number of travel days offered to Russians by the Eastern Finland Sports Institute was increased by 37 percent in two years. The project established a practice where Russian partners would contact the Eastern Finland Sports Institute and sports clubs and organisations in Joensuu when they required exercise tourism services. The institute and sports clubs likewise contact the Russian cooperative partners when they organise exercise or sports events. This helps education and cultural cooperation. The brochures were delivered to local sports clubs, universities, educational institutions and cooperation partners in the Republic of Karelia and St. Petersburg area. One group of children from the Suojärvi region visited Joensuu as a result of the partnership negotiations.