In memory of our initiators, founders and benefactors The Åland Islands Emigrant Institute wish to extend a most heartfelt invitation to come and celebrate our common roots and the 100 years of Åland Islands Autonomy with us in the Middle of the Baltic Sea.
With gratitude and warmth, we remember the initiators John & Karin Wennström of New York, Sea Captain and Honorary Chairman Göte Sundberg of Mariehamn and Hjördis Sundblom, Honorary Member Nr 1 (of both) with the following programs:
Åland Calling – Come Home to Your Roots, Share and Connect With Us
With simultaneous translation Swedish – English - Swedish.
If called for we reserve the right to make unexpected necessary changes in the program.
Monday, August 15
Assembly: The Red Cross House, Västra Esplanadgatan 5, Mariehamn
- 4 pm - 4.30 pm: Coffee and sandwich
- 4.30 pm - 4.45 pm: Transportation to The Åland House of Government
- 5.00-6.00 pm: Guided tour of The Government House and a Visit to the Provincial Archives of Åland
- 6.00-6.15 pm: Transportation back to the Red Cross House
- 6.30-7.00 pm: Welcome Greetings at the Red Cross House
- 7.00 pm - 7.30 pm: How Åland Turned Autonomous: History
- 7.30-8.00 pm: … And Its Future
- 8.00/8.15 pm: Welcome supper Åland style
- Bed time!
Tuesday, August, 16
Assembly: The Red Cross House, Västra Esplanadgatan 5, Mariehamn
- 9.00 am-9.30 am: Language and Society: Heritage from the Swedish Era in Finland’s and Åland’s History
- 9.30-10.00 am: Åland: From the 1800’s Up To 1921. How It Was Then and Now
- 10.00-10.30 am: Peasants, Crofters, and the Landless: The Rural Classes, Social and Economic Situation.
- 10.30-11.00 am: Åland Collections in the SLS Archives (“the Swedish Literary Society of Finland”)
- 11.00-11.15 am: Questions and Comments
- 11.15-11.45 am: Coffee Break
- 11.25 am-12.45 pm: My Family History 1-3
- 12.45-1.00 pm: Questions and Comments
- 1.00-2.00 pm: Lunch (& toilet visits)
- 2.00 pm: The bus has arrived and expects to depart 15 minutes later
- 2.45-4.00 pm: A Bus Tour to Kastelholm Castle (founded in the late 1300’s), a Heritage from Our Swedish Era
- 4.00 pm: The bus is waiting for us and expects to depart 15 minutes later
- 4.30-5.00 pm: The Bomarsund Visitor Center
- 5.00 pm: The bus is waiting for us and expects to depart 15 minutes later
- 5.20-6.30 pm: A Visit to Fortress Bomarsund (founded in 1832), a Heritage from Our Russian Era
- 7.00 pm: Supper
- 8.30 pm: Home to Bed
Wednesday, August 17
Assembly: The Red Cross House, Västra Esplanadgatan 5, Mariehamn
- 9.00 am-9.30 am: Emigration from Åland: East to the Russian Empire
- 9.30-10.00 am: Emigration from Åland: West to North America and the Flow into Sweden
- 10.00-10.30 am: Seafolk as Emigrants – Immigration South to Australia and New Zealand
- 10.30-11.00 am: Finland’s Family History Association, A Presentation
- 11.00-11.15 am: Questions & Comments
- 11.15-11.45 am: Coffee Break
- 11.25 am-12.45 pm: My Family History, 4-6
- 12.45-1.00 pm: Questions & Comments
- 1.00-2.00: Lunch (& toilet visits)
Independent Afternoon: Shopping – Resting etc.
- 5.30 pm: Please make ready for transportation to take you to Supper (at 6.15 pm)
or
- 2.00 pm: The bus has arrived and expects to depart 15 minutes later
- 2.30-3.30 pm: By Bus to the Pellas Shipmaster’s Homestead with a bookstore and a Gallery upstairs featuring two exhibits
- 3.30 pm: The bus is waiting for us and expects to depart 15 minutes later
- 4.00-5.30 pm: Afternoon coffee at the Önningeby Art Museum and visit to the Sjöblom Emigrant- and Crofter’s Museum
- 5.30 pm: The bus is waiting for us and expects to depart in 15 minutes
- 6.15 pm: Supper
- About 8.00 pm: Transportation back to the hotels
Thursday, August 18
Excursions to Places of the Hearths. By Bus In Search of Your Ancestors: Covering Parishes, Cemeteries, Villages, Åland Landscapes…
Previous Registration Obligatory!
- 9.00 am: Assembly at the Hotel Lobby & Departure by private cars to Individually Targeted Sites Based Upon Request
- 9.30/10 am -1.00 pm: Visits to churches, graveyards and villages, stops for photographing
- 1.30-2.30 pm: Lunch at Restaurant Soltuna in Geta Parish
- 2.30 pm: to the cars & departure in 15 minutes
- 3.00-4.30 pm: Visit to the Åland’s Museum of Photography, with Coffee Pause
- 4.30 pm: o the cars & departure in 15 minutes
- 5.15-6.30 pm: Visit to the Museum Collection of Traditional Åland Owners’ Marks
- 6.30 pm: to the cars & departure in 15 minutes & Return to Mariehamn
- 7.30 pm: Supper at Hotel
- About 8.30 pm: Transportation back to the hotels.
Friday August, 19
Assembly: The Red Cross House, Västra Esplanadgatan 5, Mariehamn
- 9.00-9.30 am: Family History Research: Covering the Åland Islands: How To Do It
- 9.30-10.00 am: Åland, Finnish and Scandinavian Databases
- 10.00-10.20 am: My Family History, 7
- 10.20-10.30 am: Questions & Comments
- 10.30-11.00 am: Time to Share your accumulated experiences here so far: what you gathered from yesterday’s journeys: your highpoints, the lowpoints, your ahaas and disappointments
- 11.00-11.30 am: Coffee Break
- 11.10-11.30 am: My Family History, 8
- 11.30 am-12.30 pm: Time to Share your accumulated experiences here so far: … (continued)
- 12.30-1.30 pm: Lunch (& toilet visits)
- 1.40-2.10 pm: Presentation of The Society Åland of New York
- 2.20 pm: the bus has arrived and expects to depart in 15-20 minutes
- 2.40-3.40 pm: Bus to Svinö Ferry Landing for Föglö Islands
- 3.40-4.10 pm: Short Ferry Ride to Föglö Islands
- 4.10 pm: boarding the bus at Föglö
- 4.30-5.00 pm: Short Bus Ride to Föglö Church
- 5.00 pm: the bus is waiting for us and expects to depart in 15 minutes
- 5.30 pm: Bus for a short view of the Norrgård Farm in Sonboda village
- 6.15-8.30 pm: Dinner served at Restaurant Seagram at Degerby, Föglö, with a presentation of The Swedish Finn Historical Society at Seattle, Washington, and its magazine The Quarterly / Kusiner between the courses
- 8.30 pm: the bus is waiting for us / or a short walk to the Degerby Ferry Landing
- 9.05-10.00 pm: Ferry and Bus back home
Saturday, August 20
Assembly: The Red Cross House, Västra Esplanadgatan 5, Mariehamn
- 10.30-11.00 am: Åland Seafaring, A Peek into the Past
- 11.00-11.30 am: What the Seaman House and Ship Crew Records Reveal
- 11.30 am-12.10 pm: Coffee and Sandwich
- 11.40 am-12.00 pm: My Family History, 9
- 12.00-12.15 pm: Questions & Comments
- 12.20-12.30 pm: Transportation to the Åland Maritime Museum
- 12.45- 2.30 pm: Guided tour of the Åland Museum Ship the Pommern
- 2.30-2.45 pm: Transportation from the Maritime Museum to the Park Bar
- 3.00-5.00 pm: Closing Dinner at the Park Bar & Summary of Our Experience
Here you can read about our excursions
The End: Welcome back anytime!
We long to see you soon again!
Beyond the official program
On offer, weather permitting.
Sunday, August 21
- 12 noon-12.30 pm: Departure by small boat to Kobba Klintar, the Historic Pilot Station (founded in 1862) at the outer edge of the inlet to Mariehamn Harbor: for coffee and a sandwich to await the huge ferries from Stockholm and Åbo to pass – a fantastic sight never to be forgotten
- by 3 pm: Return & back in the Mariehamn Harbor
In case of storm and / or rain:
We take a bus to the other old, land-locked Pilot House of Mariehamn to marvel at the very same from a different angle and have a meal elsewhere.
