Estonia to Participate in European Culture Ministers' Meeting in Oulu

TALLINN – An informal meeting of European Union culture ministers will take place in Oulu, the European Capital of Culture, on Friday and Saturday. Discussions will focus on the directions for the next Cultural Work Plan (2027–2030) and the future role of culture—specifically, the impact of artificial intelligence on the cultural and creative sectors and the protection of creative freedom.

Estonia will be represented at the meeting by Eili Lepik, Undersecretary for Cultural Heritage at the Ministry of Culture. 

"Culture plays a significant role in shaping social cohesion, the economy, and the future of Europe. In developing the next European Cultural Work Plan, it is important for Estonia to emphasize the role of culture in society's crisis preparedness and to highlight aspects of the cultural sector in the digital age, whether it be digital solutions for protecting cultural heritage or considering the specificities of small languages and cultures in the context of artificial intelligence," said Eili Lepik, who added that long-term resilience is built through culture, language, identity, and shared memory. 

For Estonia, it is important to emphasize at the meeting the role of culture as the foundation of societal resilience, both in supporting Ukraine and in strengthening European democratic societies. Additionally, focus topics include the strategic cultural partnership between Estonia and Finland; culture as a driver of regional development and the creative economy; and the impact of artificial intelligence on culture, creators, and the visibility of small languages. The digital environment must also keep small languages and cultural spaces visible and ensure the protection of creators' rights, fair remuneration, and transparency. 

The event provides an excellent opportunity to reaffirm our strong strategic partnership with Finland, which extends beyond one-off projects. Our cultural relationship with our neighboring country is broadly linked to international cooperation and increasing joint regional visibility, as well as to societal development and heritage preservation. 

The informal meeting of culture ministers in Oulu also serves as a good prelude for Estonia to the NB8+Ukraine culture ministers' summit taking place in Tallinn this autumn, and the global conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine, also to be held in Tallinn in January 2027.