Sea Fortress Suomenlinna Baltic Sea Team Finland 30.7.-14.8.26
Host organization
This volunteering team is organised in co-operation with The Governing Body of Suomenlinna which is a unit of Finnish Heritage Agency that restores, maintains, administers and presents The Sea Fortress of Suomenlinna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built over a period of three centuries, Suomenlinnas military architecture of the six fortified islands recounts the history of the Kingdom of Sweden, the Russian Empire and the Republic of Finland.
The Governing Body of Suomenlinna is responsible for preserving the monument and associated historical and architectural values for future generations .
The project intends to raise awareness of the need to protect and promote common World Heritage and European Cultural Heritage. It intends to enhance volunteers’ knowledge and skills in heritage landscaping techniques through training and hands-on work on the site. The participants learn the implementation of sustainable development, understand the importance of dialogue with visitors and the significance of organizing events at a World Heritage site.
Furthermore, the participants learn how to work together towards a common goal, and they also have a unique chance to build networks both with other European volunteers and with the World Heritage professionals in Suomenlinna. Suomenlinna ESC Team Activity empowers young people allowing them to learn skills, basic preservation and conservation techniques and raise their capacity as future decision-makers and global active citizens.
Volunteer's tasks
Volunteers will participate in maintenance, restoration, and landscaping work in the Suomenlinna area and surrounding islands, under the guidance of site management and specialists. The work is primarily physical and takes place outdoors under all weather conditions. The working days start early.
The two major projects will be assisting in the restoration of historical cannons under the supervision of a Building Restorer and removing invasive plants under the supervision of landscape specialists and gardeners. Additionally, the volunteers will work shorter periods with Suomenlinna stakeholders and other partners and help cleaning the shores of Suomenlinna.
The team in Suomenlinna focuses on Concrete Deeds for the Baltic Sea.Suomenlinna Sea Fortress is located on a group of islands and can only be reached by water. The entire fortress is surrounded by the Baltic Sea, and both the cultural landscape and the historic fortification structures — together forming a UNESCO World Heritage Site — are closely connected with this fragile marine environment.
During the project, volunteers will take part in a variety of practical tasks that directly relate to the wellbeing of the Baltic Sea and the sustainability of the Suomenlinna environment. These include landscape maintenance, restoration work, shoreline cleaning, and cooperation activities with local stakeholders. All tasks are tied to understanding, protecting, and caring for the marine surroundings.
Beyond hands-on work, volunteers will receive a detailed orientation on Suomenlinna’s history.
They will engage in discussions on World Heritage, authenticity, preservation, and sustainability— both social and ecological. A key event will be a half-day mini seminar, where each volunteer presents a World Heritage Site from their home country.
There will also be an Open Camp Day as an open invitation to engage the locals in volunteering landscape work at the site.
Accommodation and meals
The organizer will provide the volunteers accommodation in Hostel Suomenlinna dormitories (one for women, one for men) . All meals will be provided by the organizer. Lunches on work days will be served ready and all dinners will be prepared by the volunteers themselves together.
Description of the area:
Fortress of Suomenlinna, built gradually from 1748 onwards on a group of islands, is located 15-minute ferry ride off the City of Helsinki, capital of Finland. Helsinki is a modern and cosmopolitan city and home to around 600,000 residents. Th fortress buildings have been renovated to serve as apartments as well as workspaces, to house private and public services, and for cultural purposes. There are 800 inhabitants in Suomenlinna.
More information
This team is part of the ESC VTHPA Concrete Deeds for the Baltic Sea -project and open for 18-30 year old citizens and permanent residents of countries around the Baltic Sea, Ukraine, Serbia and Greece.
We encourage application from young people with less opportunities due to economic, social ,geographical or other barriers.
Participation is free of charge, as well as board and lodging. Volunteers need to stay the full duration of the project in order to get pocket money (7€ per day) and travel cost reimbursed (28-395€ depending on the distance).
We are looking for 15 volunteers who will be chosen based on the application below. The volunteers should be prepared to do physical outdoor work with early morning start.
Please note that we are selecting the participants based on their genuine motivation. The applicants need to attach to the application form one page motivation letter presenting themselves, explaining why they would like to join the project and what could be their contribution to the project.
Application deadline is 27.5.26