My Oulu: Culture Companions bring people together from different cultures in the spirit of the Capital of Culture year
Alaa Elnaggar and Anna Litewka-Anttolainen are building the community of Culture Companions. Photo: Sirpa Tarkkinen
Jaa sosiaalisessa mediassa:
Culture Companion activities will expand into a Culture Companion Community. New activities will soon be established, for example, at Children’s Cultural Centre Kotilo, Companions for experiencing Oulu2026 events in French, and a voluntary group directed for women.
Culture Companions is part of Oulu’s Capital of Culture project’s volunteer programme. Its goal is to promote the social accessibility of culture and enable cultural participation.
“It also aims to increase interaction between people in the fields of art and culture”, highlights Project Manager Anna Litewka-Anttolainen.
“The goal is to enable people who do not want to attend culture events alone, or who simply want to meet new people, to invite volunteer Culture Companions to join them.”
Culture Companion activities are meant for adults. In practice, interested people contact coordinators who choose a companion for them. They then agree on the details together. It is possible to get a companion for the next day as well if needed.
You can also run into Culture Companions at different events.
The activities will continue even after the Capital of Culture year
The Culture Companion concept will expand even more.
“We are building a Culture Companion Community. Culture Companions will organize their own culture events for low-threshold encounters. The aim is to meet new people and cultures and share experiences. For example, a specific group for the Children’s Cultural Centre Kotilo will be established for all families. Other groups will also be established, such as Oulu2026 in French, and a group for volunteer women”, Litewka-Anttolainen explains.
The main goal is to develop the Culture Companion activities during the Capital of Culture year and ensure that it will continue on as a legacy from the theme year.
An African festival in Kajaani
About 200 Culture Companions are currently participating in the Capital of Culture project. They operate in eight municipalities, one of which is Kajaani.
Mame Ousmane Seck has lived in Kajaani for one and a half years and enjoys the peaceful small city a lot. Seck moved to Kajaani from Senegal but is in Finland for the second time.
Previously, Seck was organizing an art exhibition in Sysmä in 2019 as the manager of a Senegalese art group.
“I became a Culture Companion because I want to learn more about Finnish culture and introduce African culture. Simultaneously, I found friends from many countries.”
Seck has visited the Kajaani tanssii Festival as a Culture Companion. Additionally, Seck has participated in the Red Cross of Kaajani’s Companion activities.
Now Seck is planning an African festival called African Dignity in Kajaani. It would be organized together with Seck’s African contacts living in Finland.
In search of friendship in Oulu
Originally Egyptian Alaa Elnaggar came to Oulu two years ago and realized how hard it is to find friendships in the city, especially in the winters.
It is especially important to Elnaggar to share her thoughts about the emotions culture events rise in her and others.
In early November, Elnaggar participated in organizing a live event for an exhibition opening from a museum in Cairo directly to the Cultural Centre Valve in Oulu. The event came together swiftly in three days; even Egyptian food was served.
“It was also justified because that museum’s mission statement includes openness, like a gift to the whole world”, Elnaggar explains.
“I got personal feedback on how lovely the event was.”
Litewka-Anttolainen adds that after Elnaggar joined the Culture Companions, they began to ideate how to increase human interaction together with five other volunteers. They wanted people from many different cultural backgrounds to join.
“The whole Culture Companion concept came from the Capital of Culture project’s volunteers”, Litewka-Anttolainen points out.
You can still apply to become a Culture Companion outside of Oulu. All Culture Companions will be invited to training and interview. On the Culture Companion website, you will find a contact form. You may also call or e-mail either Litewka-Anttolainen in Northern Ostrobothnia, or Minna Härkönen in Kainuu.
The Culture Companion 2026 concept is implemented as part of the EU-funded Equitable Inclusion Through Volunteering project.
Culture Companion activities in Oulu in the near future:
February 13, 17.00: Women’s Club for women of different cultures at Oulu2026 Showroom (Toriportti, Torikatu 18).
February 16–19, 15.00–18.00: Meet Culture Companions at the Terve Ramadan event
February 28: Meet Culture Companions at the Frozen People event at Nallikari
Culture Companion activities in Kajaani in the near future:
February 14, 13.00–17.00: Frost Games board game event at Hotel Kajanus
February 18, 17.30–19.00: Singles’ Night at Kaajani Art Museum
February 28, 17.30-19.30: Kalevala Day Celebration in Tutun tupa