The #OURSEA campaign by Moomin Characters and John Nurminen Foundation began on January 1st, 2020, and went on until July 31st, 2021. The campaign collected donations of more than 1 million euros to protect the Baltic Sea. A huge thank you to all Moomin fans out there who helped reach this goal!
Tove Jansson spent her summers in the archipelago throughout her whole life, the latter part at Klovharun island in the Baltic Sea. The influence of the sea can be seen in her art from the start of her artistic endeavours.
The year 2020 was the 75th anniversary of the publication of The Moomins and the Great Flood, the first-ever published Moomin story, and to honour this occasion and celebrate Tove’s love for the sea, the #OURSEA campaign was launched.
”We are immensely happy about the support and the engagement of so many people in the #OURSEA campaign; children and adults, small organizations and big companies have participated. The Baltic Sea was a big source of inspiration for my aunt Tove Jansson and it warms the heart to see the enthusiastic engagement in the campaign, especially during these unusual times”, says Sophia Jansson, creative director at Moomin Characters.
150+ companies and organisations participated in #OURSEA
More than 150 companies and other organisations participated in the campaign; everything from cultural institutions and cities to schools and charity organisations around the Baltic Sea and further away.
”That so many have participated in the campaign and that the goal of collecting 1 million euros in donations was exceeded, shows that the Baltic Sea is important to an enormous group of people. All the donations, big and small, have amounted to a sum that is instrumental to our work of fighting the many challenges that threaten the Baltic Sea; the eutrophication, the decrease of biological diversity and the mainstreaming of the culture”, says Annamari Arrakoski-Engardt, CEO of John Nurminen Foundation.
Several new projects were started with #OURSEA campaign funds
With support from #OURSEA, the John Nurminen Foundation has already advanced many projects in Finland. For example, the new John Nurminen Foundation and Metsähallitus joint project restores seagrass meadows to new areas with the aim of combating biodiversity loss in the Baltic Sea.
The fight against the algae blooms
The blue-green algae blooms that show up towards the end of the summer in the Baltic Sea is a given topic of conversation for everyone that comes into contact with the sea, a visual proof that the Baltic Sea is not well. The blue-green algae are caused by the excessive phosphorus and nitrogen loads in the sea from the use of manure in farming around the Baltic Sea. With the help of donations to the #OURSEA campaign, the John Nurminen Foundation has started a project to recycle manure and explore what else can be done to prevent the eutrophication of the Baltic Sea.
One of the goals of the campaign was also to encourage children and young people to protect the Baltic Sea. As part of this, 6000 scouts have actively taken part in the campaign by amongst other things learn to recognize blue-green algae blooms and organizing an exhibition to spread knowledge about the Baltic Sea. Otava Learning also got engaged and donated a Save the Baltic Sea educational package to the schools in Finland. The package was put together by a group of experts and with the help of it, children and young people can learn more about the Baltic Sea and be engaged in helping to protect it.
A heritage worth saving
Apart from the environmental challenges facing the Baltic Sea, the campaign also involved saving the diversity of the culture around the Baltic Sea, the sea that Tove Jansson loved and was inspired by in her art. With the proceeds from the #OURSEA campaign, the John Nurminen Foundation supports exhibitions, events and podcasts about the culture and its rich heritage around the Baltic Sea.
One of the art-based operations is an exhibition called The Unknown Baltic Sea in Suomenlinna (Helsinki, Finland). The exhibition, bringing together various artists, is open until 15 September 2023.
Help save the Baltic Sea
The John Nurminen Foundation continues carrying out measures with significant effects to save the Baltic Sea. In 2023, some of the projects in the plans are, for example, developing fertiliser processing in ports and reducing emissions of harmful substances into the sea.
The #OURSEA campaign has ended, but you can continue donating to the John Nurminen Foundation, and join in celebrating the Baltic Sea Day every last Thursday of August!
The most important sea for Tove Jansson is now also the most polluted – The #OURSEA campaign, part 1
The #OURSEA campaign was set up to save the sea that inspired Tove Jansson in creating the Moomin stories, the Baltic Sea.
Tove Jansson as an artist: A new podcast by the Didrichsen Art Museum now available!
The Didrichsen Art Museum has launched a fascinating podcast about Tove Jansson as an artist. Her niece Sophia Jansson guides us through the inspirations behind her art.
“It takes a valley” – The stories and companies behind the #OURSEA campaign
It takes a valley of people and companies to build a campaign such as the #OURSEA campaign. Here are some of these stories.
#OURSEA: Under the surface with Tove Jansson
Curious about the role and meaning of the sea in Tove Jansson books? Follow along on a deep dive on this theme in the Moomin books.
The interesting role storms played in Tove Jansson’s life and literature
Some people run out and dance when there’s a storm – Tove Jansson was one of those people. Read more about why!
An exclusive video reportage from Tove Jansson’s summer paradise
Tove Jansson’s Klovharun is an islet in the outermost archipelago of the Gulf of Finland, where Tove spent almost 30 summers.