Big Ecology Film Festival&environmental awareness

Yesterday I participated (even as a part of amazing organising committee!) in the opening ceremony of BEFF (Big Ecology Film Festival) held in my home city of Petrozavodsk. Now the festival celebrates its fifth anniversary and this reminded me first visiting it at my first year of studies three years ago. It was my first volunteering experience during my university life which helped me to meet inspiring and enthusiastic people but moreover it helped me to become more close to environmental thinking.
At the opening ceremony of BEFF 2012 a film Red Forest Hotel (Punaisen metsän hotelli, 2011) dealing with the problem of illegal logging and illegal timber trade was shown. That is a documentary exploring the big gap between the environmental responsibility as an abstract concept good for declaring the policy of certain business and a state and the reality when positive aims transform to urge towards economic profit. In the fight for economic resources both nature and its exploitators can become victims. This idea was cleary seen in Pioneer movie shown yesterday. May it be oil boom or will to increase pulp industry by all means, there are not any obvious mechanisms to see the balance.

I sometimes wonder whether legal regulation can help. Is there any possibility for results of academic research and legislative changes modify the way stakeholders view the environment? Can sanctions or penalties work? From what should we start? We cannot change the world, but we can start from us - meeting people, seeing their works of art, letting their thoughts and aspirations change our worldview. And there are dedicated people giving leaflets on the Green wave movement specialising on community work days to clean the environment, there are us planting new trees or even just sharing posts on social network encouraging others to get involved. That is the dialogue!

I have to admit that I am still not that much environmentally friendly but I know that I want to be. But BEFF has become a start for my awareness of environmental problems, and my bachelor thesis topic corresponds to the problem raised at the film show three years ago. The thesis is no use in the reality and what is written there does not bear that much sense - but for me it shows how my direction of thinking develops and how it predetermines even my academic research interests. And once I see that the conclusions of my graduation work are too vague, I understand even better that I need to do something on my own. 

Joensuu, the other side

I felt motivated to make photos of these empty places of the other side of Joensuu: one day, in next couple of years, I believe, a new part of the city will be there. Luxurious apartments, maybe. But still I will remember this place being as calm and quiet (except for strong wind) as it is now. I even was a bit of afraid of getting lost there taking a walk there in dark winter evenings. 

Debating

Debating has been a part of my university life throughout four years of my bachelor studies, bringing so much organisational, emotional and essentially debating experience both in Russia and Finland.

Two years ago we were competing against amazingly experienced debaters, CAs of the tournaments, which followed our debate debut (that is, CAs of Turku Open and Helsinki Open).

And two years later Joensuu Debate Society is proudly represented by three teams and two judges. I may feel disappointed about personal performance, but it it would be too selfish of me. Otherwise, I feel so happy that the debating culture in Joensuu is evolving, uniting bachelor, master degree and PhD students all over the world, promoting open dialogue and striving towards understanding of global problems, may it be political or economic issues. I have played a certain role at this at certain period of time, which makes me so happy. Breaking to semifinals is certainly a step of the debate success ladder - but until that moment I am just so proud that my initiative to create a new devate society helped me to gain the confidence, leadership skills, meet friends, travel and discover something strong and weak sides of your own.

Multiculturalism

Today there was a discussion evening organised at the University of Eastern Finland, which became a platform for discussion of multiculturalism from academic and daily-life point of views.

I have never thought about the content and meaning of multiculturalism, but today after the long discussions it occured to me that it is just a synthetic term mainly designed for advocating certain policies, research projects and state aims. Basically, an ideal umbrella word for a vague preambula.

I am not a sociologist or anthropologist, so I see the culture as purely a set of values and principles which guide our behaviour in the certain society or a situation. Each person encompasses a number of cultures and approaches in developing social relations, making work assignments and progressing with studies. Globalisation and emergence of new communication means has influenced us and granted us a right to choose among different standards and ethics of behaving. Culture has so many subcultures - political, legal, ethic. Each person has a set of cultures, being a multicultural being.

Therefore, I see multiculturalism not as a process of integrating cultures as ethnicities or nations, I see it as building open dialogue between all of us regardless of how we identify ourselves in terms of nationality or membership in social groups. Legal documents and political charters may contain the term of multiculturalism but what we need is the willing for mutual understanding and open dialogue with people surrounding us - may it be a person who you have grown with together in the same house or international student coming to study from the other continent.

Today we discussed multiculturalism as a concept, but the discussion itself brings us closer towards it.

Living Library

There are many formats to discuss social problems among students. Debates, ModelUNs are great but in first case you express randomly assigned position, in the second case you choose/are chosen to represent country where you possibly have never been to before. There people present their own countries. their multiple indentities, characters, problems and hopes. Whereas media manipulates opinions chasing its own aims, may they be commercial or political, there we see a real live dialogue of people gathering together to fight against stereotypes of russophobia, fear of migrants, fears of upcoming political conflicts.

Finland was presented through a story of a small village which merged with a bigger municipality (an inevitable process during time of financial hardships) but saved it own identity, managed to be sisukas (adjective from sisu - a national character of determination and bravery). We saw photos taken in 1950s, illustrating the basic daily life, fishing, working, were told the story of integration of Russians into the  part Finnish society represented by the village with the population of around 400 people. When people are asked where they come from, they still mention the old name of the village, not the new municipality, whatever the city plans and official documents say. They return to their roots in the certain period of life, respect daily traditions and care about family history.

I was curious to ask questions about it Karelian identity as this village is situated in the South Karelia region. It was a bit of surprise that Karelian culture and language is not presented that much there as in Russian Karelia, where certain attempts are being made to give Karelian language status of the second official language of the Republic. However, my questions invoked some discussion and it was a positive surprise to see exchange students coming from far away being acquainted with Karelian language.

The story of the Finnish village

And me as a listener and a living book representing Russian Karelia:)

Sunny Joensuu

The photos were taken on the way from Rantakylä in Joensuu where I lived during my exchange (two years ago already) to the city centre. Finally spring is coming!

Joensuu

You do not need any special reasons for celebrating Vappu. But I am lucky one, I have so many additional reasons. It is really time to hit the road and leave worries back!
This year we are especially lucky with the weather - the storm warnings appeared only in media, but not in reality!

Joensuu is a pretty small municipality (but not by Finnish standards, of course) with population amounting to around 75 thousand people, Today we actually believed it is not small at all - it seemed like everyone awakened after long winter sleep and headed to get their grasp of festive mood.

Retrocars parade is a traditional part of Vappu in Joensuu.

Ilosaari landscape featuring Finnish students in bright red haalarit 

Joensuun kaupungintalo - City Hall of Joensuu

My Vappu experience continued with watching hockey which was spoiled by two moments:

1. Finland lost

2. My Finnish is still not great enough to follow what hockey commentator is saying when there is too much noise in the bar and myself I am not a hockey fan. However, I could keep chatting with my friends and with Finnish people asking some random weird questions. Now I am sure that to train my listening skills before YKI testi  I should go to a sports bar!