{"id":70210,"date":"2025-07-01T17:01:49","date_gmt":"2025-07-01T14:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fennougria.ee\/?p=70210"},"modified":"2025-07-01T17:02:30","modified_gmt":"2025-07-01T14:02:30","slug":"finno-ugric-capital-of-culture-2026-hancock","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fennougria.ee\/en\/finno-ugric-capital-of-culture-2026-hancock\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture is Hancock, Michigan, USA"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 21 June, the 2026 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture was announced in Narva, the 2025 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture<\/a> in Hancock, Michigan, USA.<\/p>

Hancock<\/a> is a town of 4,500 people located in what is known as the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Houghton County.<\/p>

Hancock is known as the capital of Finnish-American culture. It is home to the Finnish American Heritage Centre, the Finnish American Folk School, and the Finnish American Reporter newspaper.<\/p>

Both in Hancock and the surrounding area (Copper Country), Finnish heritage events such as juhannus (Midsummer Eve) and S. Henrik’s Day (heikinp\u00e4iv\u00e4, 19 January) are organised throughout the year.<\/p>

Hancock was selected by a five-member independent jury on behalf of the Uralic Centre in Estonia, following an application and presentation by the city.<\/p>

“The title of Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture in the US opens new bridges. Not only is it a chance for Hancock to introduce Americans to Finno-Ugricness, but it also gives us here in the East an insight into how our kindred peoples live on the other side of the ocean,” said jury chair Britt-Kathleen Mere <\/strong>(NGO H\u00f5imul\u00f5imed).<\/p>

According to Oliver Loode <\/strong>(Uralic Centre), Coordinator of the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture<\/a>, the selection of Hancock as the next Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture is in line with the strategy of broadening the geography of Finno-Ugric cooperation by involving countries, peoples and communities not previously involved in the movement.<\/p>

“The United States has strong communities of Finno-Ugric peoples, including Finns, Estonians, Hungarians, many of whom are already working together. The selection of Hancock as the 2026 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture will give this a new impetus and create opportunities for new transatlantic cultural contacts,” said Loode.<\/p>

Residents of Hancock learned the news on the final day of the traditional Midsummer celebrations.<\/p>

“What a wonderful way to end the juhannus celebrations with the news that Hancock has been selected as the 2026 Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture!” commented Jim Kurtti<\/strong> – Honorary Consul of Finland in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and one of the driving forces behind Hancock’s application.<\/p>

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Hancock in 1906. Source: Wikipedia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
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