Kuhmo became the first Finnish locality to hold the status of the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture for the year 2023. Shortly after Kuhmo was selected as the Capital of Culture, Russia invaded Ukraine. This drastically changed the program for the Capital of Culture year, as cooperation with Russia came to a halt. We did not want to collaborate with official Russia. Therefore, attention turned towards the north and Central Europe. Consequently, the role of Nordic minority groups speaking Finno-Ugric languages became significant. The Sámi, Kvens, Forest Finns, Meänkieli speakers, as well as Karelians, Estonians, and Hungarians, were more prominently featured in the context of Finno-Ugric heritage. The Nordic Culture Point provided significant financial support for the project.
Runosong Academy