In 2016 the Centre "Young Karelia" with the support of the Ministry for National Policy of Karelia implemented the project “Finno-Ugric peoples towards sustainable development”. The project was closely related to preparation of the delegation of the Karelians, Veps and Finns of Karelia for participation in the VII World Congress of the Finno-Ugric Peoples held in the city of Lahty (Finland) under the slogan “Finno-Ugric peoples towards sustainable development”. Within the project the “Young Karelia” Centre promoted the Finno-Ugric languages and culture among the population of the Republic of Karelia as well as reviewed the situation in the area of health of the Finno-Ugric peoples. The right to health is definitely key to achieving a larger goal – sustainable development. Tangible creative products of the project were a strong contribution of Karelia to the discussions at the World Congress of the Finno-Ugric Peoples as well as in more global context of the world’s indigenous peoples.
The results of the project:
1. The expert workshop “Indigenous peoples and sustainable development. Health of indigenous peoples” was held. The materials of the expert workshop and the study of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples “Indigenous Peoples and Rights to Health” were published.
Media information:
The health of indigenous peoples becomes a theme of the workshop (in Russian only)
The story of the State Television and Radio Company “Karelia” (in Karelian and Finnish)
2. Video of breathing gymnastics course in Karelian was developed and published in Internet.
3. The delegation of the Republic of Karelia, including the representatives of the Karelians, Veps and Finns took part in the VI World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples in the city of Lahty. The results of the expert workshop “Indigenous peoples and sustainable development. Health of indigenous peoples” were presented to the participants of the Congress.
Media information:
Karelia becomes a center of the Finno-Ugric world (in Russian only)
Radio program dedicated to the results of the World Congress (in Russian only)
The article by Natalia Antonova in the Oma Mua newspaper "Olen tuaste ylbei karjalazien poles" (in Karelian only)
4. The video “Children and Finno-Ugric languages” was developed and published in Internet.
5. Within the interregional workshop “Cooperation of the Finno-Ugric peoples. Impact on the development of the cultural policy of the Northwest Russia” held in Petrozavodsk, the presentation of films about the Finno-Ugric peoples took place.
6. The presentation of the best practices and initiatives of associations of Finno-Ugric peoples of the Republic took place in the Petrozavodsk State University. The special theme of the presentation was “Use of modern information and communication technologies for preserving and developing languages and cultures of indigenous peoples of Karelia”.
