The 21st Russian-Finnish Cultural Forum opened online on October 1. Representatives of government bodies, creative groups, public and research organisations from all over Russia and Finland joined the virtual Russian-Finnish Cultural Forum. The participants discussed issues related to cooperation between Russia and Finland in such spheres as theatre, music, folklore and museums.
“Nature as the source of inspiration” contest is aimed at environmental education of children from 6 to 18 years old and at developing their creative potential. Contest’s participants will create works from natural materials.
The Finnish-Russian Cultural Forum is a unique form of activity developed by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and the Russian Federation Ministry of Culture to activate and promote direct cultural cooperation between civic organisations, cultural institutions and artists.
The Forum is a continuing process comprising two tasks: continuous partnership activities, including an annual forum arranged alternately in Finland and Russia, and cooperation between the Finnish and Russian cultural administration. Both forms of action were initiated in 2000.
The Forum activities are also geared to develop new forms of flexible and transparent cooperation between the Finnish Ministry and the Russian Federation Ministry and between regional and local administrations in Finland and Russia. At the 2005 Forum in Vologda, the Ministries signed a cooperation agreement with a view to promoting the implementation of cultural partnership in the northern regions.
The forum aims to create conditions for cultural cooperation between the EU and Russia and to strengthen the northern cultural partnership. One more task in the Finnish-Russian Cultural Forum is direct cooperation between cultural actors. The forum helps them in finding a partner and launching joint ventures. It contributes to developing bilateral humanitarian cooperation, and strengthening the friendly and neighbourly relations between the countries and peoples.