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8.5.2026 | The EU ministers responsible for education, youth, culture and sport will meet in Brussels on 11–12 May. Education ministers are expected to adopt a general approach on the next Erasmus+ programme and outline the role of artificial intelligence in education. Other items on the agenda include the EU Youth Dialogue, the new AgoraEU programme, and mental health in sport.

25.2.2026 | Varkaus – a living industrial cultural heritage – was awarded the Cultural Heritage Label by the European Commission. The label is designated to sites located in the European Union that strongly embody the history, culture and integration of Europe.

15.1.2026 | The European Capital of Culture year in Oulu begins with a three-day Opening Festival starting on Friday, 16 January. The programme features nearly 200 events, offering a diverse range of experiences – most of them free of charge and open to people of all ages. Throughout the year, Oulu will be alive with cultural events, performances and exhibitions.

25.11.2025 | The EU ministers responsible for education, youth, culture and sport will meet in Brussels on 27–28 November. The Council’s agenda includes vocational education and training, the European Education Area, the Erasmus+ programme, the importance of culture for democratic resilience, the AgoraEU programme, and democracy and transparency in sport. The Oulu European Capital of Culture 2026 project will also be presented at the meeting.

9.4.2025 | Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity Sandra Bergqvist will travel to Kraków and attend the EU Sport Forum on 10 and 11 April. The Minister will take part in the Forum’s panel discussion, together with Ukraine’s Minister for Youth and Sports Matviy Bidny. During her visit, Bergqvist will also meet Kersti Kaljulaid, Chair of the Estonian Olympic Committee, and Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport.

9.5.2025 | The topics on the agenda include the joint European degree label and the role of education in preventing inequality. The Council will also discuss the impact of disinformation, manipulation and cyber threats on young people and delve into the future strategic priorities for the cultural sector in the EU. Council conclusions are expected on the promotion of sport and physical activity in the educational context.

24.5.2024 | Minister of Science and Culture Sari Multala has granted EUR 3.3 million in discretionary government grants to those operating in the cultural and creative industries. Structural support is part of the Sustainable Growth Programme and is designed to create innovative services and to devise novel production and operating procedures.

21.2.2023 | In their statement published on 20 February, the ministers of sport from 34 countries state that the International Olympic Committee should not change its decision of 28 February 2022 concerning the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in international sports. According to the ministers, the situation in Ukraine has deteriorated over the past year.

16.12.2022 | The Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland is investing in revitalising culture and the creative industries and in reshaping them in a sustainable way. The Ministry of Education and Culture has granted EUR 13 720 000 million in discretionary government grants to those operating in the cultural and creative sectors to create innovative services and to devise novel production and operating procedures.

21.12.2021 | The Sustainable Growth Programme for Finland is investing in revitalising culture and the creative industries and in reshaping them in a sustainable way. The Ministry of Education and Culture has granted EUR 4 million in discretionary government grants to those operating in the cultural and creative sectors to create innovative services and to devise novel production and operating procedures. The gr...

2.6.2021 | Oulu has been selected as European Capital of Culture for 2026. The selection is recommended by a European expert panel composed of nine independent experts in the field of arts and culture. The panel, having visited the candidate cities, announced its recommendation at the end of its two-day meeting in Helsinki on Wednesday 2 June.

16.6.2020 | Tampere, Oulu and Savonlinna are bidding to be nominated as Finland’s candidate for the European Capital of Culture for 2026. The independent panel will convene on 23 and 24 June in Helsinki. At their meeting, the panel will hear the plans of the applicant cities and decide which cities will continue in the race for the next decisive round.

20.5.2021 | The European Capital of Culture for 2026 will be selected in Helsinki at the beginning of June. The cities of Tampere, Oulu, and Savonlinna all qualified in the first round of the competition last summer and are now shortlisted for the final selection. The selection will be made by a nine-member European panel of experts, with five panel members visiting the applicant cities next week.

24.10.2023 | Minister of Youth, Sport and Physical Activity Sandra Bergqvist will represent the EU on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Foundation Board.

10.8.2020 | The European expert panel has published its pre-selection report on the applications of the three candidate cities Oulu, Savonlinna and Tampere and suggestions for the second and decisive phase. According to the letter sent by Minister of Science and Culture Annika Saarikko, the cities should revise and complete their applications by 23 April 2021. The expert panel will visit the cities in May 2021.

21.11.2023 | EU ministers responsible for education, youth, culture and sport will meet in Brussels on 23–24 November. Minister of Education Anna-Maja Henriksson will represent Finland in the Education Council; Minister Sandra Bergqvist is Finland’s representative in matters related to young people, sport and culture. The EU ministers will discuss a range of topics, including digital skills and digital educati...

19.11.2019 | Minister of Science and Culture Hanna Kosonen will chair the Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council meeting in Brussels on 21–22 November. The meeting will focus on culture and sustainable development, the competitiveness of the audiovisual sector, combating corruption in sport, safe sport for children and young people, education and training of youth workers, and digital youth work. Culture and sport are on the agenda on 21 November and youth affairs on 22 November.

2.9.2019 | Li Andersson, Minister of Education, and Hanna Kosonen, Minister of Science and Culture, will have an exchange of views on Wednesday 4 September with a committee of the European Parliament in Brussels. The ministers will present the priorities of Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the EU to the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT).

29.1.2019 | A Finnish city will become a European Capital of Culture in 2026. The Ministry of Education and Culture will publish the call for applications for cities in April. All proposals must be submitted by May 2020. Another 2026 European Capital of Culture will be selected from Slovakia.

21.5.2021 | The Governing Board of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe (EPA) has awarded a cultural route certification to the Alvar Aalto Route – 20th Century Architecture and Design. The Aalto Route is the first certified route led by Finland.