If everyone else in Estonia's airing their opinions, there's no way we're not joining in! You'll find us making our own modest contribution to the Festival of Opinion Culture in Paide on 14 & 15 August. Inspired by similar events in the Nordic countries – in particular Almedalen Week, held every summer on the island of Gotland in Sweden – Estonia is also having its say for third year in row.
Our director, Christer Haglund, will be speaking in the business area at the festival, in which experts from Estonia and Finland will be discussing how business and culture come together on Saturday 15 August starting at 13:00. Christer was invited by the Finnish Institute director Anu Laitila to add to the debate. Anu says that business needs interpreters who can see the opportunities hidden within culture. Christer has been on both the business and culture sides of this issue, having worked at the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finnair and Finnish Fair Corporation (Messukeskus).
Finding a common language for culture and enterprise to speak isn't impossible – cooperation agreements, big and small alike, are entered into in Finland and Estonia every year. But what makes business operators decide to invest in culture, and what do they expect in return? What do people who know the field of culture need to keep in mind in order for cooperation to work?
Also contributing to the debate will be Pekka Timonen, the chief secretary of the 'Finland 100' organising committee; Helen Sildna, the chief organiser of Tallinn Music Week; Sanna-Mari Jäntti, a senior specialist with Miltton Networks, Finland's biggest communications agency; and other experts.
The business area at the Festival of Opinion Culture is the result of cooperation between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Estonian Ministry of Agriculture, the Finnish Institute, the Consumer Protection Board, the Responsible Business Forum, newspaper Äripäev and the Development Fund.
