The ninth conference of its kind is to be held in Thunder Bay this spring.
Amy Szybalski
News Writer
University officials have announced the upcoming 2010 Finn Forum conference will be held here in Thunder Bay.
The forum is an international conference that offers opportunities for academics from across the globe to gather and present their research.
The event has been made possible, in part, by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Grant for Conferences and Workshops that was given to Lakehead History Professor Dr. Ron Harpelle. The grant is valued at twenty thousand dollars and will offset many of the costs associated with the Finn Forum conference.
The conference will provide opportunities to Thunder Bay and Lakehead to make a mark on the international stage in hosting such a globalized event.
As Thunder Bay has such a large Finnish community, holding Finn Forum here seems a perfect fit.
Those visiting will have the opportunity to present their research in a city where Finnish culture is celebrated and embraced. Visitors will be sure to take in many of the city’s Finnish landmarks.
The timing of the conference is also significant to the finish population of Thunder Bay, as it coincides with the hundredth anniversary of the Thunder Bay Finnish Labour Temple.
Completed in 1910, the Labour Temple has been host to political rallies, theatrical productions, concerts, movies, sports events, and a variety of festivals.
The conference has been held since 1974, and at each conference, a particular theme governs the material presented.
The theme for Finn Forum IX is Finland and the World: Past, Present, and Future. Organizers are asking for all submissions to focus on Finnish history, migration, culture, language, or the country’s impact on the world.
Researchers who wish to have their material presented at the conference are already being asked to submit their proposals, as the final deadline for doing so is December 15th.
Additional information regarding submissions is available at: http://finnishstudies.lakeheadu.ca/finnforum9/finnforum-call-for-papers.
January 18th, 2010 at 2:33 am
my God, i thought you were going to chip in with some vital insght at the end there, not leave it without an summary.