The promotional events of the Capitals of Culture 2011 – Turku and Tallinn – will form an integral part of the Helsinki Week events. These cities will fill the Senate Square with their cultural programme on Friday, June 11th, and on Sunday, June 13th.

The weekend dedicated to the Capitals of Culture will fill the Senate Square with all kinds of cultural events –  rock, pop and classical music, opera, good food, events for children, circus, drums and machine music. In addition, the Capitals of Culture will promote their activities in the clubs in Helsinki and in the Korjaamo Culture Factory.

Turku and Tallinn will come to Helsinki on the invitation of the Mayor of Helsinki – Jussi Pajunen. The Capitals of Culture gladly accepted his invitation as the promotion of their cities in the capital of Finland is an excellent possibility to both of them.

- Helsinki is an important city and valuable for both Turku and Tallinn as it is in a way located between these two.

Both Turku and Tallinn have to motivate the people living in Helsinki to come and see next year’s events with their own eyes, say both of the directors of the foundations preparing for the year of the Capital of Culture – Cay Sevón from Turku and Mikko Fritze from Tallinn.

The programme about Turku will be showcased on June 11th, and that of Tallinn on June 13th.

The Capitals of Culture will arrive at Senate Square in Helsinki together on Friday evening at 7 p.m. The greetings from Tallinn will arrive by boat and those from Turku will be passed on foot by relay.

The greetings will merge on Senate Square where these will be received by Mayor of Helsinki Jussi Pajunen on the stage to be built to the side adjacent to the university.

The official greetings of the Capitals of Culture will be passed on to the people by Mayor of Turku Mikko Pukkinen and Mayor of Tallinn Edgar Savisaar.