The traditional ENO Art Light event -this year “Lights for Friendship ” was celebrated in Joensuu, Finland in advance – friday 24 November. The snowy and frosty weather together with magical lights created a real winter wonderland in Kuhasalo natural reserve nearby the city center. The multisensory event combining lights, art and music was organized now the third time as a large public event by the Global education team of the city of Joensuu together with Environment Online ENO and other partners.
Barrier-free route was lighted with approximately 400 lanterns made by the students of Karsikko and Nepenmäki schools. The event attracted especially families with children but also individual travelers and: around 2000 visitors walked the paths of Kuhasalo again. Many children carried their own flashlights.
ENO Light art theme for the year 2023 was built around friendship. “This year, friendship was the focus of the light event. The changed world political situation requires schools and communities to emphasize common spirit and togetherness to oppose prejudices. We can build friendship and kindness in communities in such a way that we live in harmony and respect each other, even though the world around us has changed”, explains Nepenmäki school principal Maija Salo-Vartiainen from Joensuu, Finland.
The programming of the event consisted of fairy tale characters, artworks made by students of art clubs, thoughts about friendship written by children and young people, light messages written in a code, functional tasks, Mika Nuutinen‘s fire juggling and dance performances by RanKids Theatre.
Text, photos & videos: Maire Turunen -ENO