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Kolovesi National Park, Finl<strong>and</strong>Kolovesi National Park lies in <strong>the</strong> provinceof E<strong>as</strong>tern Finl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> w<strong>as</strong> establ<strong>is</strong>hed in1990 to preserve <strong>the</strong> natural features of<strong>the</strong> Lake Saimaa archipelago, home to<strong>the</strong> endemic Saimaa Ringed Seal (Phocah<strong>is</strong>pida saimens<strong>is</strong>) <strong>and</strong> forest ecosystemscharacter<strong>is</strong>tic of sou<strong>the</strong>rn Finl<strong>and</strong>. Therock paintings in <strong>the</strong> park are sacred sites<strong>as</strong>sociated with <strong>the</strong> annual cycle of spiritualf<strong>is</strong>hing <strong>and</strong> hunting ceremonies. Thesacred sites were once collective meetingplaces where spiritual rituals were carriedout that reflected <strong>and</strong> streng<strong>the</strong>ned <strong>the</strong>social identity of <strong>the</strong> local people.Äjj<strong>is</strong>/Ukonsaari Isl<strong>and</strong>, Finl<strong>and</strong>The Inari Hiking Area <strong>is</strong> situated inNor<strong>the</strong>rn Lapl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> whole area <strong>is</strong>part of <strong>the</strong> European Natura 2000 network.It <strong>is</strong> being set up <strong>as</strong> a national hikingarea, protected by an act ofparliament. In <strong>the</strong> middle of Ukon-selkäopen water area in Lake Inarijärvi r<strong>is</strong>es <strong>the</strong><strong>is</strong>l<strong>and</strong> of Ukonsaari, Ukonkivi or Ukko(Äjj<strong>is</strong> in <strong>the</strong> Inar<strong>is</strong>ámi language), <strong>as</strong>trange-looking hunchbacked-shapedlump of rock. It <strong>is</strong> a famous natural sight<strong>and</strong> w<strong>as</strong> once a very important <strong>and</strong> wellknownsite of worship for <strong>the</strong> indigenousSámi people <strong>and</strong> <strong>is</strong> today one of <strong>the</strong> mostinvestigated of all <strong>the</strong>ir sacred places ofFinl<strong>and</strong>.Meteora World Heritage Site,GreeceSituated in central Greece, <strong>the</strong>se enormousnatural megaliths in <strong>the</strong> west of <strong>the</strong> Thessalyplain first attracted hermits in <strong>the</strong> eighth century<strong>and</strong> by <strong>the</strong> fourteenth century anOrthodox mon<strong>as</strong>tic community w<strong>as</strong> wellestabl<strong>is</strong>hed <strong>the</strong>re. The <strong>as</strong>ton<strong>is</strong>hing complexof tall s<strong>and</strong>stone pillars of Meteora, a namederiving from <strong>the</strong> ancient word meteorosmeaning ‘hovering in <strong>the</strong> air’, r<strong>is</strong>es over 400m above <strong>the</strong> surrounding plains. The site <strong>is</strong>rich in both natural <strong>and</strong> cultural values <strong>and</strong>h<strong>as</strong> been declared a Special Protection Areafor Birds, a Natura 2000 site <strong>and</strong> a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site.Mount Athos, GreeceThe peninsula of <strong>the</strong> ’Holy Mountain’ ofMount Athos lies in Chalkidiki, Nor<strong>the</strong>rnGreece. Rich in h<strong>is</strong>tory <strong>and</strong> with a continuousliving Orthodox tradition of over 1,000years, Mount Athos possesses great naturalbiodiversity <strong>and</strong> a unique l<strong>and</strong>scape; it w<strong>as</strong>designated a World Heritage Site in 1988 fornatural <strong>and</strong> cultural re<strong>as</strong>ons. It <strong>is</strong> character<strong>is</strong>edby an unusual diversity of ecosystems,ranging from Alpine to <strong>Med</strong>iterranean,<strong>and</strong> h<strong>as</strong> rich co<strong>as</strong>tal <strong>and</strong> marine biodiversity.Mount Athos enjoys a special degree ofpolitical autonomy <strong>and</strong> self-managementunder <strong>the</strong> spiritual guidance of <strong>the</strong>Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.38

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