The Norwegian Year of Cultural Heritage 2009 or (in Norwegian) Kulturminneåret 2009 was aimed at highlighting the diversity and importance of Norway's cultural heritage for all sectors of the community. Under the theme of Cultural Heritage in Everyday Life, the arrangements were intended to involve both ordinary citizens and professionals at local, regional and national levels.Kurturminneaaret2009 website. Retrieved 11 March 2009.
Two approaches With a view to broadening the appreciation of cultural memory, two complementary approaches were developed. One focused on the development of cultural heritage in Norway, building on existing cultural trends and processes, in order to provide a better understanding of how key aspects of today's heritage have evolved over the years. The second priority was to enhance cultural heritage documentation by providing a basis for both small local projects and large institutional assignments.
Activities The many activities in support of the Year included exhibitions, cultural tours, school projects and, especially at the local level, incentives for the creation of a wide variety of Wikipedia articles on local history and culture.
One of the special projects was centred on Bergensbanen, the Oslo to Bergen railway, which celebrated its centenary in 2009. Memory institutions were working with railway enthusiasts and the Norwegian Railway Museum to provide opportunities for towns and villages along the line to investigate how the railway affected their communities.
In collaboration with kulturnett.no an important aspect of tangible or intangible cultural memory was highlighted for special attention each week.
Coordination The Norwegian Cultural Heritage Association,Kulturvern website an umbrella organisation promoting the role of cultural heritage, was the central coordinator for implementing the Year of Cultural Heritage. The Association ensured close collaboration with the ministries responsible for the environment and for cultural affairs as well as with the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities,http://www.ks.no/templates/Start.aspx?id=32718 KS website the Directorate for Cultural Heritage,Riksantikvaren website the Archive, Library and Museum AuthorityABM Utvikling site (English page) and the Museum Association.Museums Fordundet site (Norwegian)
External links Riksantikvaren - Directorate for Cultural Heritage Cultural Heritage from Norway, the official site in the UK
References