Rome celebrates Finnish culture on the occasion of Finland's annual Kalevala Day on 28 February, with an exhibition of 20 photographic panels depicting the creation of Finland's 19th-century "national epic".

Kalevala Day has been celebrated in Finland every year since 1920, in honour of the work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from centuries of Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology in 1835. Kalevala is regarded as one of the most significant works of Finnish literature, and it helped to define Finnish national identity prior to its independence from Russia in 1917.

The exhibition opens at 15.00 on 28 Feb and runs until 11 March. It is organised by the Library of Archaeology and History of Art in Rome, Italy's culture ministry, and the Finnish embassy to Italy.

Also on Kalevala Day a new website will be launched dedicated to supporters of Finnish culture and friends of Finland in Italy: www.cultfinlandia.it.

Mon 14.00-19.00. Wed 09.30-17.00, Thurs 09.30-13-30.

Biblioteca di Archeologia e Storia dell’Arte di Roma, Via Collegio Romano 7.