Lecture Days of Docents from Various Fields
- 2 May 2026, at 12–18, Stockfors, Patruunantalo
The lecture days of docents from various fields consist of lectures and audience discussions by docents. Admission to the events is free.
Pyhtää Käsitekesä 2026: science-art-culture festival
10–11 July 2026, 16–22, Stockfors, Kaarihalli
Pyhtää Käsitekesä is a multidisciplinary and sub-disciplinary festival, which was organized for the first time in the summer of 2025. The program includes, among others, lectures by researchers from various fields of science, panel discussions, art exhibitions and book sales. Admission to the festival is free.
Pyhtää Käsitekesä Festival 2025
Pyhtää Käsitekesä Festival was held on 11–12 July 2025 at Kaarihalli in Stockfors. The festival was the opening event of The Free Science Institute of Finland.
Event program:
Friday 11 July
- 16.00 Festival opening Taina & Janne Saarikivi. Festival blessing by country priest Johannes Alaranta
- 16.05 Docent Janne Saarikivi: Etymological yard walk in a manor house environment, including new etymologies for place names in Kymenlaakso
- 16.30 Cosmologist Kari Enqvist: General discussion on the topic of natural sciences vs. humanities
- 17.00 University lecturer Joonas Maristo: Baba Taher in Persian poetry
- 17.30 Doctor of Theology Johannes Alaranta: Religion and mental health
- 18–19 Panel discussion Quo vadis rule of law Finland? Panellists: Professor Emeritus of Legal History and Roman Law Jukka Kekkonen and Director of the Human Rights Centre Jarna Petman. Moderator: Docent Taina Saarikivi.
- 19.30 Doctor of Philosophy Hanna Lantto: It has been customary to address domestic animals in hika, but bees should be approached politely in zuka: Basque forms of addresshika and zuka, past and present practice
- 20.00 Doctor of Social Sciences Salla Nazarenko: History of human rights thinking in Russia
- 20.30 Brain researcher Minna Huotilainen: Is neuroscience afraid of gender and other spectrums?
- 21.00 Non-fiction writer Viljami Puustinen: The Iron Age of Pyhtää
- 21.30 Music: Reuna-Uusimaa singers Pörri and Anssi
Saturday 12 July
- 16.00 Writer Sirpa Kähkönen: The Savoland sanctity of word invention
- 16.30 Professor of World Politics Teivo Teivainen: Mannerheim’s anti-semitism and the anachronism card
- 17.00 Journalist Matti Rönkä: About Savoland
- 17.30 Docent Pia Houni: Fundamental attribution error: do right, wrong and responsibility matter to modern people?
- 18-–19 Panel discussion The state of the university and the new science institute in Stockfors. Panellists: Professor of European History Laura Kolbe, Professor of Architecture Panu Savolainen and Professor Emeritus of Telecommunications Engineering Olli Silven. Moderator: Docent Janne Saarikivi.
- 19.30 Historian Seppo Aalto: Kymenlaakso: Valley of Rebellion 1918
- 20.00 Professor of architecture Panu Savolainen: Alternative academic institutes and architectural activism
- 20.30 Music: Vocal ensemble Kärhämä: Etymology songs
- 21.00 Music: Petri Vähäsarja & friends: Music from Vähäsarja
In addition, the festival featured exhibitions by textile artist Varpu Eronen, visual artist Saara Vainio and visual artist Jiri Geller, as well as an audio work by Taina Saarikivi.
Book publishers Kiuas, Kulttuurilehti Särö & publishing house Särötär, Kovasana, Salakirjat, Sukukansojen ystävat ry, Rosebud Sivullinen and Warelia presented and sold their books.
Bread guru and “root mother” Eliisa Kuusela sold her freshly baked sourdough breads as well as bread roots and books about sourdough bread.
