OPEN FINNO-UGRIC CONGRESS (16.6.2016, Lahti/Finland)

Open Finno-Ugric Congress (“Open Congress”) will take place on June 16 in the legendary rock club and restaurant “Torvi” in the city of Lahti (Finland).

The primary aim of the Open Congress is to provide an open and democratic alternative for the 7^th World Congress of Finno-Ugric Congress that will be held in Lahti on June 15-17 this year. Open Congress offers a venue for participating and speaking up for all Finno-Ugric activists and experts, including those who for variety of reasons were unable to join official delegations of their peoples. Open Congress will provide an opportunity for honest and critical discussions of pressing issues facing Finno-Ugric peoples and the international Finno-Ugric movement.

Preliminary programme of the Open Congress:

• 11:00 – 11:30 Greetings and Introduction (Norman Langerak / Sukukansojen Ystävät ry)

• 11:30 – 13:00 Keynote speeches, including

  • Oliver Loode (Member of UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Estonia)

  • Jukka Mallinen (translator and Russia expert, Finland)

  • Further speakers to be announced at a later date

• 13:00 – 14:00 Open Mic (Session 1) – max 7 minute statements by participants. Optional pre-registration by e-mail (finnougric.opencongress@gmail.com).

• 14:00 – 15:00 Lunch break / Press Conference

• 15:00 – 16:00 Open Mic (Session 2)

• 16:00 – 17:00 Continuation of discussion, conclusions

• 17:00 – …. – Cultural programme (Presentations of books by Jaak Prozes and Ville Ropponen, poetry readings by “Tuli & Savu” poetry club)
  
  

Working languages of the Open Congress are Finnish and Russian.

Open Congress is organized by Sukukansojen Ystävät ry (Friends of Kindred Peoples NGO), Kindred peoples’ student society of the University of Helsinki, Tuglas-Society (Finland) and U-Turn NGO (Estonia).

Inquiries and questions: finnougric.opencongress@gmail.com

Open Congress Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/1065668676838796/