40 years of experience in Open Dialogue in Western Lapland

We are pleased to invite you to Finnish Lapland to discuss about the dialogical approach to the treatment of psychosis. In the meeting we will also discuss the current state and future of Open Dialogue and Dialogical Practice in Lapland and around the world. The meeting will consist of several dialogical workshops and invited speakers.

Practitioners, researchers and students, service users, people with lived experiences, relatives, peers, and all others interested are welcome. The language of the meeting will be English, with the exception of the open day partly in Finnish, when simultaneous interpretation into English will be provided.

Conference Information

The meeting will take place Wed-Sun 27th-31st of August in Rovaniemi, Finland. There will be an Open Day on Friday 29th of Aug for those who wish to attend for the day only.

The meeting will be hosted by Lapland University of Applied Sciences. Meeting venue: Jokiväylä 11, 96300 Rovaniemi

Registration is open from February to June 2025. Link to the registration will be published here soon.

Registration options:

  • Participation 27th-31st of Aug in Rovaniemi
  • One day participation Fri 29th of Aug in Rovaniemi
  • One day participation Fri 29th of Aug online

Registration fees will be published here soon.

The registration fee includes:

  • Participation in all sessions
  • Lunches on Thu-Sat
  • Coffee/tea on Wed-Sun
  • Get together cocktail event Wed 27th of Aug
  • Festive Dinner Sat 30th of Aug

Terms and conditions. The registration is binding. The meeting will take place only if there are enough participants. We reserve the right to make changes to the meeting.

Wed 27th of Aug

14.00-17.30 Registration, collaborative planning of workshops and discussions

19.00 Get Together – cocktail event at Lappia Hall

Thu 28th of Aug

9.00-17.00 Welcome and opening plenary, Workshops and discussions

18.30 Dialogue with nature – Forest walk at Ounasvaara (Free, optional event. Bring your own water)

Fri 29th of Aug: Open Day – 40 years of experience in Open Dialogue in Western Lapland

9.00-16.00 Plenary: Invited speakers & reflections

Sat 30th of Aug: Research Day

9.00-16.00 Plenaries & workshops on research topics / Additional workshops on other subjects

19.00 Festive Dinner at Lappia Hall

Sun 31st Aug

9.00-12.00 Breakfast, coffee/tea, Final Plenary, planning the next meeting and Goodbyes

More detailed programme will be published later. Changes to the programme are possible. 

BY PLANE

There are plenty of direct flight connections to Rovaniemi.

  • Finnair operates direct flights daily between Rovaniemi and Helsinki Airport all year round.
  • Lufthansa flies to Oulu Airport all year round from Munich Airport. Flights are operated on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Oulu is approximately 2,5 hours away from Rovaniemi by car. There are several ways to reach Rovaniemi easily: by bus, train or rental car.
  • Norwegian operates direct flights between Rovaniemi and Helsinki all year round.
  • Ryanair flies to Rovaniemi all year round from Milan Bergamo. Starting in April 2025, flights will be operated on Fridays and Sundays.

It is also possible to fly to Kemi-Tornio airport. Bus/car journey to Rovaniemi from Kemi-Tornio takes approximately one and a half hour.

BY TRAIN

  • Finnish railway transport VR
  • It is possible to fly to Helsinki and take the train to Rovaniemi. The journey takes about 8-9 hours by day and about 12 hours by night train.

BY BUS

Some bus companies who operate to Rovaniemi:

ACCOMMODATION

There are plenty of hotels and Airbnb accommodations in the city centre of Rovaniemi. We are happy to provide discount codes to some of the hotels for the duration of the event (27th-31st of Aug):

  • Arctic City Hotel -10% with code dialogue. You can book accommodation directly on the hotel website according to their booking status.
  • Scandic Pohjanhovi. Discount code CCON. You can book accommodation directly on the hotel website according to their booking status.
  • Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna Rovaniemi. Discount code: BDIALOGUE. There are 20 rooms available for discount price. You can book accommodation directly on the hotel website.

Please find more information about accommodation: Rovaniemi Tourist Information

RESTAURANTS

Rovaniemi is full of Finnish and international restaurants. Please find more information about restaurants: Rovaniemi Tourist Information

ACTIVITIES

Rovaniemi is best known as the city of Santa Claus and reindeers. You can meet the Santa and reindeers at Santa Claus Village and Santapark. In August it is great to experience Finnish nature in autumn colors.

Please find more information about activities: Rovaniemi Tourist Information

Temporary Presence – From Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation Collection https://www.visitrovaniemi.fi/event/temporary-presence-from-jenny-and-antti-wihuri-foundation-collection/

  • Organized by Rovaniemen taidemuseo
  • Location  Kulttuuritalo Korundi, Lapinkävijäntie 4, 96100 Rovaniemi
  • The exhibition Temporary Presence celebrates the 30-year residency collaboration between the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation and the University of Lapland.

Arctic Opposites https://www.visitrovaniemi.fi/event/arctic-opposites/

  • Organized by Arktikum – Science Centre and Museum
  • Location Pohjoisranta 4, 96200 Rovaniemi
  • The renewed permanent exhibition Arctic Opposites at the Arktikum science centre opens 6th December 2024. Contents, exhibition technologies and the visual appearance are updated in the science exhibition renewal.

Northern Ways https://www.visitrovaniemi.fi/event/northern-ways/

  • Organized by Arktikum – Science Centre and Museum
  • Location Arktikum, Pohjoisranta 4, 96200 Rovaniemi
  • Finland’s northernmost and largest province, Lapland has been home to permanent settlements and a broad network of northern peoples for thousands of years. Lapland has always attracted visitors, each of whom has left their mark there in one way or another. The Regional Museum of Lapland includes exhibitions that illustrate the history of Lapland, its cultures, nature, and other contemporary themes.

Sápmi Triennial https://www.visitrovaniemi.fi/event/sapmi-triennial/

  • Organized by Rovaniemen taidemuseo
  • Location Lapinkävijäntie 4, 96100 Rovaniemi
  • The first-ever Sápmi Triennial presents a spectacular array of Sámi contemporary art and duodji, traditional Sámi handicrafts. The exhibition showcases the abundance and vitality of Sámi cultural heritage. The works highlight themes which are deeply rooted in tradition and identity, as well as the challenges of contemporary life. Included in Sápmi Triennial are both rising stars as well as artists with lengthy careers. The works are engaged in a conversation between different countries and generations, and displays what is happening right now in Sámi contemporary art.

The organising committee consists of Jaakko Seikkula, Paula Yliniemi, Mia Kurtti and Kari Valtanen.

If you have any questions about the event, please contact us by email. Email address will be published here later.

As before, we are sure that the meeting will once again be inspiring and rewarding. We look forward to seeing you in Rovaniemi in August 2025!