Nine years after the start of the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture programme, Kuhmo became the first holder of this title in Finland. The flagship event of the year, Sommelo Ethno Music Festival, brought together performers and audiences from many kindred peoples and regions, which gave the festival a distinct Finno-Ugric accent. In 2023, Kuhmo also became an important venue for discussions about the current state and future of Finno-Ugric languages, as well as the international Finno-Ugric movement. In June 2024, a seminar dedicated to 10 years of the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture was held in Kuhmo.

• The opening event on 24 February was held in two parts: first, an outdoor event at the local school, which included the first-ever Finno-Ugric group ski competition, followed by a festive opening ceremony in Kuhmo-Talo, with a performance by the Norwegian Sámi musician Torgeir Vassvik as one of the highlights. Representatives of two former Finno-Ugric capitals of culture – Obinitsa and Abja-Paluoija attended the event.
• The flagship event of the year, Sommelo Ethno Music Festival included performances by Estonian, Udmurt and Marti folk musicians.
• After the festive closing of the year, the symbol of Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture – tsirk-bird – remained in Kuhmo for a year, with the Juminkeko Centre, which is dedicated to studies of the Kalevala epic, as its temporary home.
• In June 2024, an international seminar dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture programme was held in Kuhmo, featuring discussions both about the past and future of the cultural capitals programme.

• The year raised the visibility of Kuhmo as a cultural city and key player in the international Finno-Ugric movement, including thanks to positive coverage in local, regional and national media.
• Community-building: the cultural capital year brought together Kuhmo’s cultural institutions and also engaged the city administration. Kuhmo’s mayor Tytti Määttä was actively involved in the preparation and events of the year.
• The year enriched Kuhmo’s cultural calendar, providing memorable Finno-Ugric experiences for Kuhmo’s residents and visitors alike, and strengthening the idea of Finno-Ugric kinship.

Pekka Huttu-Hiltunen (phh@runolaulu.fi)