Mayor Aleksi Randell has written to the mayors in the Union of the Baltic Cities, UBC. More than 100 towns in 10 Baltic Sea countries belong to the UBC.

During the last twenty years, the Night of the Ancient Bonfires has been celebrated along the southern and south-western coast of Finland and in Estonia on the last Saturday of August. Fire has been lit to say farewell to the summer that has passed.

This year, Turku is Europe’s cultural capital, along with Tallinn. The Turku 2011 Foundation, which is coordinating the year in Turku, has given a pledge: to encourage people to contribute to the community by lighting the Ancient Bonfires and promising to do something specific to save and protect the Baltic Sea.

In ancient times, fires were lit along the coast to notify and warn of imminent danger. This is still the matter – only now it’s the Baltic Sea itself that is endangered, and each of us can help.