Opinion Festival 8-9.08.2025
We are delighted to announce that this year we once again take part in the Opinion Festival with several discussions. We invite everyone to join us in listening and debating at the “Täitsa nihkes / Shift happens” area!
Date: August 8–9, 2025
Location: Paide Vallimägi, area no. 20
The world around us has been shifting a lot lately – but what does that really mean? How do changes in mental health, democracy, the environment, or young people’s online behavior affect us?
The Opinion Festival is a meeting place for all layers of society, providing a platform for diverse worldviews with the goal of improving discussion culture and civic education. At the “Shift Happens!” area, we focus on the themes that reflect the greatest challenges of our time – mental well-being and quality of life, sustainable textile use, safeguarding democracy, and young people’s digital behavior.
We bring together researchers, experts, policymakers, and civil society representatives from Estonia and the Nordic countries, along with people who have personal experiences with these issues. Their knowledge and insights provide a foundation for open and meaningful discussions and help find solutions to common challenges in our region.
Come listen, reflect, and debate on topics that truly matter. Only together can we make sense of where this “shifted” world is heading – and what we ourselves can do to help it move in a better direction.
Schedule
FRIDAY, August 8
12:00–13:30 “Did You Know That Dementia Can Be Prevented?”, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia
14:00–15:30 “(Mental)Healthy Manliness”, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia
15:30–16:00 Opening of the ballot papers exhibition, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia
16:00–17:30 “Young People and Online Gender-Based Hate: How to Respond and Prevent?”, Embassy of Finland (co-organizers: Embassies of Iceland, Norway, and Denmark, and the President Kaljulaid Foundation)
18:00–19:30 “Buy, Wear, Bin – Who’s to Blame?”, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia
On Friday, the discussions starting at 12:00, 14:00, and 18:00 will be in English with interpretation into Estonian Sign Language.
SATURDAY, August 9
12:00–18:30 Ballot papers exhibition, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia
12:00–13:30 “The Trust Infrastructure: Are Libraries Our Most Overlooked Defense System?”, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia
14:00–15:30 “Dialogue Session: Are Libraries Our Last Reliable Place?”, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia and Estonian Librarians’ Association
16:00–17:30 “Dialogue Session: Can Nordic-Baltic Cooperation Save Democracy?”, Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia
18:00–19:30 “Young People, the EU, and Geopolitics: Is Democracy Attractive When the World Is Falling Apart?”, Embassy of Denmark
On Saturday, the discussions starting at 12:00 and 16:00 will be in English without interpretation.
Mark yourself as attending on the Facebook event, where it will also be possible to watch the August 8 discussions live online.
The festival is free of charge for visitors.
Full program: arvamusfestival.ee/kava
At the “Shift Happens!” area of the Opinion Festival, discussions on the above-mentioned and other topics are organised by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia in collaboration with the Embassy of Denmark, the Embassy of Finland, the Embassy of Iceland, the Embassy of Norway, the Estonian Librarians’ Association, and the President Kaljulaid Foundation.
