On 24–25 May, the festival summer kicks off with the admission free World Village Festival. In addition to music, talks and discussions, the programme offers a wide range of things to see, experience and think about: art, sports, dance, terrace party and Kids’ Corner with a range of workshops and activities. The festival’s Peace theme can be seen throughout the programme.
YMCA Peace & Sports will offer activities and experiences especially for young people: street basketball, a DJ, games on sustainability, discussions about a better world and the coolest photo booth of the festival.
A participatory art installation, Across the Waters, presents the stories of thousands of migrants crossing the Mediterranean. Festivalgoers can contribute to the work by leaving a message for those whose journey across the water was never completed. The 40th anniversary exhibition of Maailman Kuvalehti celebrates the multi-award-winning magazine, at the heart of which is world-exploring photojournalism.
Book World offers a non-stop factual programme on the theme of Peace: interviews with authors, literary debates, cosmopolitan tirades and talks by peace researchers. The experience points in the Plaza of Unruly Peace can help you find peace in your own life and in the world. The Plaza’s programme includes Hard Core Punk poetry workshop and a Mediation Simulation.
In between live performances on the Music Stage, you can experience rhythmic sounds from around the world at the Funky Amigos Terrace Party. The Street Art Area also offers a great variety of performances, from choirs to dance. The festival continues in the evening with clubs: Fiesta Latina on Saturday and Afro Sundays on Sunday.
Dancing, crafts and learning at Kids’ Corner
Shadow theatre artist Elviira Davidow and musician Samuel Leminen from the Theatre of Peace and Hope will perform stories of peace and humanity from around the world. Dancing and movement will be led by Palestinian dance teacher Tareq Abu Nahel and Colombian musician Natalia Castrilló. Abu Nahel will teach children the basics of the traditional dabke dance. Castrilló will lead a lively music and movement workshop for families.
At the Aalto University Junior tent, you can stop for a moment of peace and fold origami peace doves. In a poster-making workshop organised by the Vantaa Lions Club, children can colour or draw their own images of peace. The Scouts’ peace skills workshop will explore the theme of peace through games and jewellery making. Face painting and pin making will be available at the tent of Pinskut. The Stoori mobile library and the Multilingual Library will also be rolling into the Kids’ Corner.
The City of Helsinki will take over the workshop tent on both days of the festival. On Saturday, the focus will be on sustainable living, and Sunday will be about Ukrainian culture, as children from Helsinki’s twin city of Dnipro will come and share their own traditions.
Exhibitors and food vendors will be released on 5 May. The programmes for Music Stage and Speaker’s Stage have been published earlier. See the full programme and timetable.
Organised by Finnish Development NGOs Fingo, the main partners of World Village Festival are City of Helsinki, the European Commission Representation in Finland and the European Parliament Liaison Office in Finland, Finn Church Aid and Maailman Kuvalehti magazine.
World Village Festival on theme Peace 24.–25.5.2025 in Suvilahti, Helsinki. Admission free!
More information
Communications Manager Nelli Korpi, nelli.korpi@fingo.fi, +358 50 317 6698
Programme Manager Johanna Eurakoski, johanna.eurakoski@fingo.fi, +358 50 317 6696
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World Village Festival is Finland’s leading event for global action for the whole family, an admission free cultural festival, and a trade fair for sustainable development. The event will be organised in the Suvilahti event venue, Helsinki 24–25 May 2025 with Peace as its theme.
