The Histories of Jakobstad/Pietarsaari- Bilingual event

Place: Jakobstad/Pietarsaari 

Timeframe: Once  

Organiser: Head of Culture and Leisure Päivi Rosnell and Development Manager Johan Lithen 

Participants: 30 associations and 75 inhabitants  

Goal:

Goal 1: Start working with the challenges of a bilingual city 

Goal 2: Start the co-operation between the local associations, both Swedish and Finnish speaking 

Goal 3: Inspire the local inhabitants to starting thinking the old fire station as a low treshold culture house for all language groups and start working forward to it and also using it 

Goal 4: Through practical examples to share information about the social resilience and how culture can help the municipality to increase it with participatory methods. 

WHAT IS IT?

The main aim was to start working with the challenges of beeing a bilingual city. The event was organised in connection with the Culture for Resilience Forum and the local ceremony on 8th May 2024. The core team from the municipality started planning the event together with several local, both Swedish and Finnish speaking, associations. Already at the first planning meeting there were 25 participants from different associations. The project was listening carefully to the wishes from the municipality and could arrange experts for the event: both a bilingual moderator and a key-note speaker. Straight after the local ceremony the program started with the key-note speaker Timo Santala (WeLoveHelsinki and a founder of the international restaurant day) and after his inspiring speech and practical examples the evening continued with a quick presentation of the associations and with a workshop. The representatives from the local associations were acting as moderators at the small round table discussions, where the participants were discussing about what is still missing from the municipality and how can the old fires station be used for cultural issues and be a low treshold culture centre for all language groups. Totally 30 associations and 75 people were participating the event. 

WHY WAS IT A SUCCESS?

• The experts which could be hired through the project were great. They were wishes from the municipality and very inspiring and professional. For a event like this a bilingual moderator is a must and the key-note gave a lot new ideas and practical examples for the audience. He also helped with the workshop and the summary of the results. It was also a good idea to give the participants numbers when they arrived-the number told them to which table they should go at the workshop- it came a totally mix with languages and associations. 
• There were many positive points to arrange the event in the connection with the Forum and the local ceremony ( venue already arranged, the audio arragements, some partners present-for example comms, interest of the local press), even it meant a lot of work for the arrangers. 
• Positive that the articles in the local newspapers/radio has made the project visible and inhabitants of the city of Jakobstad/Pietarsaari have taken this issue as their own and already now the old fire station is used more than before.
• Invite the citizens as early as possible  and through as many channels as possible  
• Make clear what will follow after the first workshop