Voices of Europe - Oulu2026
What if every border had its own voice heard?
Voices of Europe is a week-long cultural event exploring the languages, identities and stories of Europe's border regions — taking place 19–25 October 2026 at the International School of Oulu, as part of Oulu2026, European Capital of Culture.
Across seven themed days, we bring together speakers, panelists, performers, artists and communities from the Bothnian Arc and beyond to explore what it means to live, speak and belong at the edge of Europe.
Each day runs roughly 10:00–17:00, with a different theme, different sessions and different voices — keynotes, panels, roundtables, living library storytelling, exhibitions and performances throughout the day. More detailed daily schedules coming soon.
The week at a glance:
19 Oct — Culture and Identity
20 Oct — River and Sea Cultures (Tornedalen & the Bothnian Arc)
21 Oct — Women's and Girls' Voices in Europe
22 Oct — Creating Roots: Europe's New Voices
23 Oct — Roots, Youth and the Future
24 Oct — UN Day: Language and Culture as a Human Right
25 Oct — Borders as Bridges of Cultures
Whether you attend for an hour or the whole week, there's something to discover every day.
Details:
📍 International School of Oulu, Kasarmintie 4, Oulu
🗓️ 19–25 October 2026
🎟️ Free entry, open to everyone
🌐 Multilingual programme (Finnish, Swedish, English, and more)
💻 Selected sessions available online
Organised by Bothnian Arc and the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR), as part of Oulu2026.
Come listen. Every border has a sound and this week, we're here for all of them.
Full daily programme and speaker list to be announced closer to the event.