News

The theme of this year's Finno-Ugric Days is 'Courage', referring to difficult times and the courage to remain ourselves. A series of events in Tallinn and Tartu will bring together Finno-Ugric musicians, artists, writers and scholars. There will be an academic conference on Latvian indigenous peoples, a chance to listen to traditional music and listen to classical music. The month will end with hot club nights in Tartu and Tallinn.

After many years of work, the Norwegian Truth and Reconciliation Commission handed in its report to the country’s parliament on 1 June. The commission investigated the Norwegianisation policy and its effects on the Saami, Kvens and Forest Finns.

The Saami community in Russia was divided in half after the war in Ukraine began. Some of the Saami have taken part in protests in support of the Russian attack, Justas Stasevskiy reports on YLE.

Mordvins living in Estonia celebrated the Erzya Language Day on April 14. The event was organised by the Estonian Mordvin Culture Society and the Erzya Cultural Association Syatko at the Tallinn Folk High School.

The Sami Language Support Centre has been opened at the Institute of Linguistics of the Murmansk Arctic State University. The university is the only institution in Russia that teaches the Sami language in the master's degree.

The Kindred Peoples’ Programme’s Ethnic Science Award goes to linguist and anthropologist Roza Laptander for her research on the silence of the Nenets.

The festival reaches its apex on the third Saturday of October – this year on October 15th – the day that the national flags of Estonia fly in honour of our fellow kindred peoples living all around the world.

This year, the competition welcomes the works of researchers who are based outside of the Russian Federation. Applications should be submitted electronically. The deadline for submitting nominations is 31 August 2022.

For the first time, only Sámi artists will be presented in a national pavilion at the Venice Biennale, and for the first time, the Sámi will be recognised as a nation in a pavilion that bears their name.

We do not consider cooperation possible with Finno-Ugric peoples’ organisations and individuals that support military action against Ukraine by the Russian Federation, until they stop supporting the activities against humanity by the leadership of their country.

This marks the first time that the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture will be located in Finland. Kuhmo expects the title to boost cultural tourism in the region and to support the preservation and revitalization of languages and cultural heritage across the wider Finno-Ugric world.

This is Estonia's fifth entry on the Intangible Cultural Heritage list and the first which is described as urgently in need of safeguarding.