On Kindred Finno-Ugric Peoples’ Day, 17.10.2026
As a result of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, direct contacts between our states and kindred Finno-Ugric peoples living in the Russian Federation have been either frozen or seriously challenged. The system of World Congresses of Finno-Ugric Peoples, which served as the political framework for international Finno-Ugric cooperation between 1992–2021, has been suspended and has likely reached its end. The entire international Finno-Ugric cooperation finds itself in a state of existential crisis: it is clear that old ways no longer work, but new ones have yet to emerge. Organisations responsible for maintaining the former system of Finno-Ugric world congresses have not provided the leadership and foresight needed to preserve and develop international Finno-Ugric cooperation on a political level.
Yet there are also hopeful signs on the horizon. The programme of Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture, which we represent, has helped to expand the geography of the Finno-Ugric movement. This year, for the first time, the title of Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture is held in North America – in the US city of Hancock (Michigan), which is the cultural centre of the Finnish American community. Grassroots-led Finno-Ugric initiatives such as IFUSCO – International Finno-Ugric Students’ Conference, FUFF – Finno-Ugric Film Festival, and others are keeping the Finno-Ugric flame alive. There are also positive signs of Hungary’s re-engagement, given that Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2027 will be in the Hungarian village of Geresdlak.
Still, there appears to be insufficient vision for, and commitment to international Finno-Ugric cooperation in the three states where Finno-Ugric populations form a majority: Estonia, Finland and Hungary. Even though as of today, nothing prevents these three states from joining hands and restoring Finno-Ugric cooperation between each other.
The best model and inspiration for this lies in our common and not too distant history. Before World War II, Finno-Ugric cooperation was an important part of state policies and national identities of newly independent nation-states of Estonia, Finland and Hungary. Finno-Ugric Cultural Congresses formed the main institutional framework for this cooperation. Between 1921 and 1936, five Finno-Ugric cultural congresses were held, bringing together our countries’ political, academic and cultural leaders, as well as experts in many fields, such as medicine and engineering. For example, the 3rd Finno-Ugric Cultural Congress in Budapest was attended by 650 delegates from Finland and 430 from Estonia. Notably, the Soviet Union was absent from this cooperation on a political level, though this did not prevent the Finno-Ugric movement from thriving, and some individual representatives of Finno-Ugric peoples living under the Soviet rule, such as Ingrian Finns and Karelians, from attending. This cooperation would surely have continued and evolved, had it not been violently interrupted by World War II and the subsequent Cold War.
On behalf of the Secretariat of Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture, we call on the authorities of our home states – Estonia, Finland and Hungary – to take a close look at the history of pre-World War II Finno-Ugric cooperation, with a view to building on it and adapting it for the realities of the 21st century. While renewed Finno-Ugric cooperation would be led by Estonia, Finland and Hungary, it should be open to all democratic states with Finno-Ugric populations, such as Norway, Sweden, Latvia, Romania, Ukraine and Canada. We would like it to be also open for Finno-Ugric diasporas across the world. Naturally, such cooperation should welcome representatives of Russia’s Finno-Ugric peoples who live in the free world. In fact, one of the priorities of renewed international Finno-Ugric cooperation should be to work towards a world where Finno-Ugric peoples of the Russian Federation can exercise their right to self-determination and freely shape their futures.
In particular, we propose to revitalise the tradition of Finno-Ugric Cultural Congresses by holding the 6th Finno-Ugric Cultural Congress in the upcoming years in Hungary, Estonia or Finland, with the participation of heads of Finno-Ugric states. One such opportunity will arise in 2028, which would mark 100 years since the 3rd Finno-Ugric cultural congress in Budapest.
As a team with members from Estonia, Finland and Hungary, we already practice such trilateral Finno-Ugric cooperation, and with good results. We thus call on our home states to follow this example and to elevate international Finno-Ugric cooperation to the level where it once was, and where it again deserves to be.
On behalf of the secretariat of Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture,
Oliver Loode (Estonia)
Liisa Sabolotni (Estonia)
Aleksi J. B. Palokangas (Finland)
Peter Aranyi (Hungary)
