EUROPE AND ASIA
Over 630 participants from eleven countries are coming to Estonia for the 4th World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples held 15 to 19 August. Finnish, Hungarian and Estonian presidents will make opening speeches.
"Since 1989, the population of our kindred peoples in Russia has decreased, according to the Russian population census, by half a million or by one-seventh. This process can still be reversed. The world has now become more open and sociable. It is no more possible to hamper the free exchange of information. For small peoples this is a more favourable world. The Finno-Ugrians must learn how to retain their language, culture and identity in the new situation," said General Secretary of the World Congress Mr. Andres Heinapuu.
The event is hosted by the Estonian capital city of Tallinn.
The 303 delegates of the congress will represent central organisations of 21 Finno-Ugric peoples. With 305 observers and 22 guests there will be 630 participants. Three peoples (Bessermen, Votians and Yazva Komid) will be represented by observers only.
At the opening of the congress, speeches will be delivered by President of Finland Mrs. Tarja Halonen, President of Hungary Mr. Ferenc Mádl and President of Estonia Mr. Arnold Rüütel.
Delegates will arrive from eleven states where Finno-Ugric peoples live: Russia, Finland, Hungary, Sweden, Norway, Latvia, Slovakia, Canada, Romania, Ukraine and Estonia.
The greatest number of people will arrive from the Russian Federation --458, including 212 delegates.
See also the the timetable of the congress at
http://kongress.ugri.info/eng/cat-275/cat-279
For cultural events, see http://kongress.ugri.info/eng/cat-275/cat-389