HANCOCK — What can Finno-Ugric peoples in Europe learn from Finnish Americans? And what can Finno-Ugric cooperation offer to the Finnish-American community?

These questions will be among the discussion points at the second annual Finno-Ugric Open Forum, which is slated for Thursday, June 18, at Hancock Central High School. Experts from Estonia, Finland, Norway, Hungary, and the United States will gather for a day of discussion, explanation, exploration and engagement – and the public is encouraged to take part.

The forum is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a keynote address by Finland’s Ambassador to the U.S., Leena-Kaisa Mikkola, at about 9:40 a.m. Throughout the day, panel discussions and presentations will explore a variety of topics rooted in Finno-Ugric culture and urgent issues facing Finno-Ugric people today.

“I do not expect the audience to necessarily sit in for the entire Forum,” said Oliver Loode, one of the lead organizers of the event. “They are welcome to pop in and out for the topics that matter to them.  For example, young folks may find the panel on ‘Tradition, Internet and Identity’ especially interesting.”

Other panel discussion topics include “State of the Finno-Ugric World” and “Transatlantic Dimension of Finno-Ugric Cooperation,” and both participants and audience members will have several opportunities for questions and further exploration.

Advance registration for the forum is encouraged, but not required. There will also be an option for those who can’t attend in person can see the forum via livestream; that video can be found at www.youtube.com/@URALICCentre. 

The Finno-Ugric Forum is part of the Juhannus Suurjuhlat (Midsummer Celebration) taking place June 17-21 in Hancock. The festival is being conducted in honor of Hancock’s recognition as the world’s Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture for 2026. For more details about the festival, visit hancockfinnougric.com.