Saturday 29 August marks the Night of the Ancient Lights, an annual celebration in which hundreds of bonfires are lit along the Baltic coast.

The Night of the Ancient Lights was initiated in 1992 as an event to mark the 75th anniversary of Finland’s independence, but the tradition has now spread to neighbouring countries situated on the Baltic Sea. The bonfires, which will be lit along the coast in Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Sweden, Russia and Germany, are intended to stand as a symbol of unity and to pay tribute to the significance of the sea in the history and cultural heritage of the region, as well as to serve as a reminder of the importance of protecting the Baltic Sea.