Our Story: Tartu World University

Tartu World University is a series of community academies taking place in South Estonia. It is a part of the main programme of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024. Arts of Survival – or Ellujäämise Kunstid in Estonian, the artistic concept of Tartu 2024 – also accompanies what is happening in those community academies. In those synergy-filled academies, active communities and scientists meet and come together to seek solutions to global problems locally and vice versa.

Some problems can benefit from science, common values, and prejudice-free exchange of ideas. For this very reason, community academies and local people will be joined by scientists and artists with a broad outlook and an open mind. Like a tsunami of positivity, these people's experiences will inspire South Estonia.

“Inemiseperi ilm! Ilmaperi inemine!“ (The world of mankind! Mankind of the world!). In plain terms, we create together a world that lasts and where we feel good and safe.

Triinu Laan

The events of community academies are unfolding in a total of 13 communities in Southern Estonia in the years 2023-2024, welcoming both local residents as well as all other Estonians and the ones visiting Estonia. Discussion days, brainstorming sessions, conferences, and roundtable discussions are led by local people, from children to older people. Different target groups get inspired by other aspects of the same issue, and we will open up all of them. We will aim for critical awareness. Hope you'll join us.

No one comes to the World University to simply listen but to speak up and participate. Together, we will learn about the region's heritage and the community's special characteristics. We encourage all world-changers to seek local solutions to global problems and vice versa!
Inspiring venues fuel the participants' intellectual journeys - whether it's the organic festival in Ööbikuorg, the experiential festival in Maarja village, a conference in Setomaa, in the border town of Valga or at the Mulgi Experience Center, brainstorming sessions of the community school near the Latvian border, a dialogue evening on the shores of Lake Peipus, or a movement festival in Elva.

We aim to create long-term plans for the benefit of the community to preserve as well as renew the culture and distinctiveness of South Estonia. By fostering collective synergy, solutions will be found for the problems that benefit from the assistance of science and the search for common values. Through our story and values, this region will make it to the consciousness of both Estonian and European cultural tourists as a place to be. We will retain the identity of South Estonians, or "Hindätiidmine" as they call it.

Project Manager Triinu Laan says: “The spirit and purpose of the Tartu World University of in my mother tongue Võru language could sound like a twin motto: “Inemiseperi ilm! Ilmaperi inemine!“ In plain terms, we create together a world that lasts and where we feel good and safe.”

The project is led by the Centre for Ethics, University of Tartu.

Triinu Laan

Tartu World University Project Manager
triinu.laan@ut.ee
+372 5332 2153