The Sixth World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples concluded with a declaration marking the success of a 20-year cooperation between Finno-Ugric nations, institutions and civil society organisations. In the closing plenary session of the congress, Minister of State for Culture László L. Simon delivered a speech and, together with his Estonian counterpart, signed a four-year cultural work plan.

The topics discussed during the conference related to ethnopolitics, culture, language and education, technology and mass communication, health, demography and ecology. A new element at the congress this year was an economic forum promoting future business cooperation among the nationalities represented, which together form a potential market of more than 25 million people.

At the end of the congress a declaration was issued to mark the success of participants’ cooperation, and to declare that “the Finno-Ugric world has become a reality”.

The declaration also draws attention to the challenges faced by Finno-Ugric peoples. Problems to be tackled include most nationalities’ declining populations, assimilation processes displacing national cultures and languages, and economic, social and political instability. The declaration emphasises the priorities of closer cooperation, improved democratisation among Finno-Ugric peoples and respect for mother tongues. It also lays stress on the immensely positive impact of linguistic diversity on education and culture.

At the event, Minister of State for Culture László L. Simon and Estonian Minister of Culture Rein Lang signed a four-year cultural work plan which deals with cultural events organised in the two countries, encourages close cooperation in the field of music, and seeks to raise awareness of language relations. Special events are also mentioned in the document, such as the opening of an exhibition in Estonia on the Hungarian art movement “A Nyolcak” (“The Eight”), a new Hungarian translation of the Estonian national epic “Kalevipoeg” and publication of a major new Estonian-Hungarian dictionary.

The World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples takes place every four years, the next one being held in Finland in 2016.

(Ministry of Human Resources)