World Village Festival, dedicated to sustainable development, will be held this weekend May 16–17 in Helsinki’s Lasipalatsi District and at Narinkka Square. The programme features music, talks, exhibitors, and activities for children. The theme of the admission free festival is Freedom.
– World Village Festival is returning to central Helsinki, and everything looks great at the new venue. When planning your visit to the festival, it’s a good idea to check out the various indoor and outdoor spaces so you don’t miss any part of the event. Nearly 90 exhibitor stands and over 60 programmes offer a wide variety of interesting things to see and experience. Since the area is smaller than before, there will be no food vendors this year. Instead, there are dozens of restaurants around the area offering a variety of delicacies, which are worth visiting to recharge in the midst of the festival buzz, says the festival’s communications manager Nelli Korpi.
The concert programme includes French Colombian singer-bassist Ëda Diaz, a pioneer of Congolese electronic musicKizaba and psychedelic desert rock band Jamila & The Other Heroes. Among the Finnish artists, the programme will feature Emilia Sisco Sextet, Vodou Fusion, Yona, Aizhan Sultan, the children’s music group Mutaveijarit and Jarmo Saari Republic with Freedom Speeches concert.
The theme of Freedom is featured extensively, for example on the Speaker’s Stage in Bio Rex. The programme features perspectives on Freedom from various crisis-stricken regions, as well as discussions on the rights of young people and children, the state of democracy, and digital freedom.
The programme also includes adult’s workshops and children’s activities at Luckan, Peace & Sports area for young people, Funky Amigos’ terrace party, and nearly 90 exhibitors at Narinkka Square, Mauno Koivisto Square, and Bio Rex.
At the Kamppi Chapel, the festival weekend will feature panel discussions, workshops, yoga, music, and a chance to unwind amid the festival buzz. At Rosebud’s Book World, there will be a stage dedicated to literature-focused discussions.
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Additional information, interview requests, and photos
The media is free to use the festival’s press photos from Flickr as well as photos taken at the festival.
Communications Manager Nelli Korpi, nelli.korpi@fingo.fi, +358 50 317 6698
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 Centre on Helsinki, Lasipalatsi District and Narinkka Square 16–17 May 2026 with Freedom as its theme. The festival is expected to attract 25,000 to 30,000 visitors. The festival’s core values are diversity, inspiration, equality, responsibility, and community spirit. Organised by Finnish Development NGOs Fingo, the main partners are the European Commission Representation in Finland and the European Parliament Liaison Office in Finland, Finn Church Aid and Maailman Kuvalehti magazine.
