HELSINKI, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

- Helsinki Festival

Helsinki Festival and the think tank Demos Helsinki are announcing their contribution to Finland's highly successful and internationally celebrated school system. The School is a peer learning festival, taking place 24-26 August 2012 in the Finnish capital. During the festival weekend, people will have the opportunity to pass on to others their skills for a good life.

The School will operate on a do-it-yourself basis and anyone interested in taking part can sign up as a teacher. Helsinki Festival and Demos firmly believe that all skills and knowledge, whether academic or practical, are equally valuable. Contributors are free to choose the subject or topic they wish to teach, whether gutting a fish, brainstorming, citizen activism, business planning, beginner's Russian or crying on command.

"This is an open source school," said Roope Mokka, from Demos Helsinki. "High profile celebrity lectures and world class universities are simply not enough. We need to unleash learning across the board."

The three-day marathon of learning will comprise hundreds of lessons and is expected to be attended by hundreds of pupils. The event concept is freely available and can be adapted for use in smaller and larger formats, including by organisations, groups of friends and global networks.

"In future, we will face continual change, both in our working lives and in society more widely, and to adapt, we need lifelong learning. But with what resources can that be delivered? We believe that a nimble and flexible peer-learning event like The School is the way forward," Mokka added.

"As an arts festival director, I am excited that, through the School, Helsinki Festival can be involved in creating the art of ideas. Learning new things and gaining fresh insights are among the most thrilling of human experiences," Helsinki Festival Director Erik Söderblom said.  

The first School will be taking place at Helsinki Festival - and can be continued anywhere where knowledge and skills abound. The School can be organised by anyone, anywhere.

Helsinki Festival is the largest arts festival in Finland, organised annually in late summer. Its aim is to offer unique cultural experiences for the widest possible audience, both domestic and international. In 2012, Helsinki Festival will run from 17 August to 2 September. The full programme is available at http://www.helsinginjuhlaviikot.fi 

Further information: http://www.helsinkifestival.fi/school

Sini Koskimies
Senior Press Officer
Tel: +358-50-358-2440
koskimies@helsinkifestival.fi