Finland's Language Fair

Together with Hanaholmen, the Language Awareness and Ideologies in Finland (LAIF) Research Project is hosting the Language Fair, on October 22-23, 2026, onsite at the beautiful Hanaholmen hotel and conference center in Espoo, Finland. Both days are open to the public!

The Language Fair starts on Thursday, October 22, with an afternoon of events open to the public and geared toward language practitioners and people who deal with language-related issues in their work. The program on Friday, October 23, centers around contemporary language issues in Finland, including discussions about the future of Finland's languages. Both days are open to the public, anyone and everyone is welcome!

The event is free of charge, and is open to anyone who has an interest in the languages of Finland. Come for one or both days, as your schedule allows.

Click here for Thursday's livestreamed Expert Panel

Click here for Friday's livestreamed Spotlight Panel

Thursday, October 22: Language Practitioners

Day 1 of the Language Fair, October 22, is open to the public and focuses on different sectors. Experts guide workshops relating to language-related professions and fields, including language learning and teaching, media, policy and planning, integration, translation, and public services. Through these discussions, participants can learn from one another about language-related challenges, opportunities, and current best practices.

The Language Fair will be a multilingual event in (at least) Finnish, Swedish, and English. Simultaneous interpreting will be provided during the panel and plenary session events on the main stage.

Program for day 1: October 22, 2026

First afternoon session

13:15-13:30
Opening of the public event and welcoming words, including an introduction to the LAIF project.

13:30-14:45 Cross-sectoral panel discussion,
Panel features expert representatives from:

Susanna Karlsson, Associate Professor of Scandinavian Languages, University of Gothenburg (Education and research)
Jukka Niva, Yle Head of Finnish Media Co-operation (Media)
Inga Kauppi, Specialist, Ministry of Justice (Government and public administration)
Leonardo Custódio. Associate Professor at Malmö University and Research Coordinator of the OBaMa project at Åbo Akademi (Media education and democratic participation)
Mari Holopainen, Member of Parliament and city councilor (Civil society and inclusion)
Johanna Vaattovaara, Professor of Finnish, University of Tampere (Education and research)

Moderator: Jenny Sylvin, University Instructor, University of Helsinki

Click here for Thursday's live stream

Topics include language awareness, multilingualism, participation, language policy, and societal inclusion.

14:45-15:15 Coffee break

Second afternoon session

15:15-16:15 Parallel thematic discussions

Language Fair participants are free to attend any of the following discussion groups. The discussion groups are facilitated by volunteers who have expertise in the area of the workshop topic. Come and just listen, or participate and add your voice! You do not need to prepare, just come with your thoughts and ideas to contribute to the discussion.

Knowledge production and innovation, discussion led by Alicja Fajfer (University of Eastern Finland)

Public sector and government, discussion led by Taina Saarinen (University of Jyväskylä) and Marika Hall (Pennsylvania State University)

Media and communication, discussion led by Aarni Hildén (Co-founder at Kaide Media)

Civil society, inclusion, and community engagement, discussion led by Leonardo Custódio (Åbo Akademi, Malmö University, OBaMa (Overcoming Barriers to Participation) research project)

16:15-16:45 Break and mingling

16:45-17:30 Workshop reflections and synthesis

Workshop discussion facilitators present key insights, challenges, examples of best practices, and recommendations for future action.

Friday, October 23: The General Public (this means YOU! Yes, YOU!)

Day 2 of the Language Fair, October 23, is aimed at the broader public, focusing on language, identity, multilingualism, and the future language landscape of Finland. Are you interested in what is happening right now with Finland's languages, and how to sustain them for future generations? Then this program is for you.

The Language Fair will be a multilingual event in (at least) Finnish, Swedish, and English. Simultaneous interpreting will be provided during the panel and plenary session on the main stage.

Friday, October 23, 2026

Morning sessions

09:00-09:30
Welcome and reflections on the LAIF project

09:30-10:30 Session 1: Who Are We Today?

Participants have the opportunity to choose one of four sessions. These parallel discussions will be led by experts in the thematic area. No advance preparation is required—the sessions are designed as open, interactive discussions where participants can share perspectives, experiences, and ideas. You do not need to prepare, just come with your thoughts and ideas to contribute to the discussion.

Session 1: Parallel thematic discussions

The contemporary language situation in Finland, discussion led by Elizabeth Peterson (University of Jyväskylä) and Lotta Jalava (KOTUS - Institute for the Languages of Finland)

Language and political participation, discussion led by Owain Hopeaketo (International Expert Advocacy) and Martin-Éric Racine (

Language and inclusion, discussion led by Katariina Pyykkö (University of Helsinki), Sanni Heinzmann (Aalto University), and Sanna Rämö (Aalto University)

Nordic cooperation and language profiles, discussion led by Susanna Karlsson (University of Gothenburg) and Jacob Thøgersen (University of Copenhagen)

Discussion questions include:

What role do languages play in shaping who we are?
What kinds of language futures do we hope to see?
How can we support the transmission of Finnish, Swedish, Sámi, heritage, and other languages across generations?

10:30-11:00 Coffee break

11.00-12.00 Session 2: Who Are We in 50 Years?

Session 2: Parallel thematic discussions

Future scenarios for language and society, discussion led by Sirkka Heinonen and Samira Yaghouti (the Finland Futures Research Center at the University of Turku)

Multilingualism, mobility, and heritage language, discussion led by Dušica Božovic (Aalto University) and Taija Townsend (Hanken School of Economics)

The future of Finnish, discussion led by Maisa Martin (University of Jyväskylä) and Jepa Viinanen (Aalto University)

The future of Swedish in Finland, discussion led by Sari Pöyhönen (University of Jyväskylä) and Linda Bäckman (the Migration Institute of Finland)

In each workshop, participants will explore questions such as:

What might Finland's linguistic landscape look like in 50 years?
How will migration, technology, and demographic change influence language use?
What actions today can help shape the language futures we want?

12:00-13:15 Lunch

Afternoon Session

13:15-14:15 Spotlight Panel Session

Keynote speakers and invited experts reflect on language, identity, participation, and the future of multilingual societies.

Alicia Iredale, Brit in Finland Content Creator & Finnish Language Learner based in Turku
Nexar Antonio Flores, CEO of House of Flores and political spouse
Gideon Hagström, Media & Influencer Relations Specialist at Helsinki Partners
Sari Pöyhönen, Professor of Applied Language Studies at the University of Jyväskylä

Moderator: Kayleigh Karinen, LAIF Research Team, University of Jyväskylä, Tandem Leadership Alumna

Click here for Friday's live stream

14:15-14:30

Closing remarks

The language fair is organized in collaboration with Hanaholmen