Estonian Song Festival lecture on July 3rd, 2025

To celebrate the long-standing tradition of song festivals in Estonia, the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia is hosting a lecture “Choirs, Clubs and Corporations: Learning to Trust Strangers and Sustaining Democracy” by Prof. Li Bennich- Björkman, Johan Skytte Professor in Eloquence and Political Science at Uppsala University.

During the lecture, Prof. Li Bennich-Björkman explores how choirs, and other forms of associations where individuals come together, cooperate and work towards joint goals, can strengthen communities and build social capital, through musical expression.  Drawing on interdisciplinary insights from political science, sociology, and cultural studies, she examines how collective singing, or other activities, fosters trust, strengthens community bonds, and enhances civic engagement. By highlighting real-world examples, the lecture presents the unique power of choirs to bridge social divides and cultivate democratic values through shared cultural practices.

Professor Li Bennich-Björkman has received the degree of Honorary Doctor of Political Science from the University of Tartu for her outstanding achievements in political science in the study of Estonian society and for developing cooperation with the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies of the University of Tartu. Li Bennich-Björkman acquired her bachelor’s degree in 1984 at Uppsala University and defended her doctoral degree in political sciences at the same university in 1991. Her main research areas are political developments in post-Communist Europe and the post-Soviet regions.

The event takes place on July 3rd 2025, 10.00-12.00 EET at the Nordic Council of Ministers´ Office in Estonia located at Lai 29,Tallinn, Estonia.