Held on the last weekend of May, World Village Festival will feature vegetarian food from all over the world, and each food vendor will be offering vegan options as well.
“This year, there will be even more options to satisfy your sweet tooth, including cinnamon rolls, crepes, specialty coffees, bubble tea, churros and a special soda to celebrate the 30th anniversary of World Village Festival. There will also be more street kitchens participating with food trucks and carts, and more special cuisines such as Rikiayk’s Japanese street food. There will be Syrian, Palestinian, Ethiopian, Greek, Bengali, Nepali, Ghanaian, Vietnamese, Italian, Moroccan, Turkish, Ugandan and Spanish street food”, says Laura Valoma, the festival’s Production Manager.
Humanitarian aid and learning at the Teddy Bear Hospital
Exhibitor stands offer a chance to discover the work of NGOs and learn about different cultures and peace work. In the returning Open Finland themed tent you can find out about services aimed specifically at new Finns. Rosebud’s Book World will take over the Cirko’s Maneesi space. As usual, Kattilahalli will host Market of Opportunities, with a range of NGOs and smaller stands. A tent village for larger exhibitors and charming craft stands of bazaar vendors will stretch across the Suvilahti field.
At the tent of the City of Helsinki, you can try out different ways to influence the future of the city. At the stand of Helsinki’s twin city, Dnipro in Ukraine, visitors can immerse themselves in historical events and space adventures through virtual glasses.
At the stand of Finn Church Aid, you can learn about the humanitarian aid activities of Finland’s largest international aid and development organisation. At the stand of the European Union, you can discuss the Union’s activities both in Finland and around the world. At the stand of Fingo, the organiser of the festival, you can take part in reflecting on ways to build peace and pick up the latest issue of Maailman Kuvalehti.
Finnish Red Cross will be present at the festival with three stands: at Kontti you can shop for recycled clothes, at the stand of Blood Service you can donate blood, and at the FRC’s tent children can learn about first aid and medical care at the Teddy Bear Hospital.
Fida, the Lutheran Church in Helsinki, Espoo and Vantaa, the City of Lahti and Visit Lahti, Visit Rwanda, YMCA Finland, numerous educational institutions, media, cultural operators and authorities will also be present at the stands.
The festival programme has been expanded to include a topical discussion on US foreign policy in the Trump era. What does this period mean for international agreements and global security?
The 30th anniversary of World Village Festival with the theme Peace on 24–25 May 2025 in Suvilahti, Helsinki. Admission free!
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More information, media accreditations, interview requests and photos
Media can be accredited to the festival by email by 21 May. Those accredited will receive a media pass, which will allow access to the festival’s networking area and to film concerts from a close distance, subject to certain restrictions. Performers and festival organisers can be interviewed before or during the festival. The media will be free to use promotional material and photos taken at the festival.
Communications Manager Nelli Korpi, nelli.korpi@fingo.fi, +358 50 317 6698
Press photos on Flickr
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World Village Festival is a sustainable development festival that discusses current global issues and inspires people to act for a more sustainable world, since 1995. The international admission free event will be organised in Suvilahti, Helsinki on 24–25 May 2025 with Peace as its theme. 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.