The Home of the Karelian Language

Karelian regional non-governmental organization “The Home of the Karelian Language” was founded in the village of Vedlozero, Pryazhinskii District, Republic of Karelia, in 2013. At the moment, the membership is 40 persons. The organization has a wide cooperation and support network for its activities not only in Karelia, but in other regions as well. The Charter of the organization contains two major goals, namely development of the Karelian Language and enhancement of living standards of local people. In order to achieve these goals, the organization has been collecting money for the construction of a new Home of the Karelian Language in the village of Vedlozero with the area of 500 m2.

The foundation of the Home was laid in 2013, and in January 2015, the first interest clubs were established. Late 2016, construction of the second floor was started, where a performance hall will be located together with several guest rooms for volunteers and guests of the Home. As of today, the Home of the Karelian Language runs several interest clubs of the Karelian Language, handicrafts, children’s and adult’s theater. In 2016, the adult theater group conducted 21 performances in 15 settlements, including Finland. Due to cooperation with the school, kindergarten and the library, children and young people come to the Home to study Karelian and attend masterclasses on handicrafts and baking. Approximately once a month, the Home of the Karelian Language facilitates meetings of Club “Companion”.

One can do physical exercises with a virtual coach in Karelian, do some laundry, get access to the Internet, listen to books in Karelian, take some books in Karelian home or buy them, measure blood pressure or buy souvenirs at the Home.

The Home of the Karelian Language has become a popular place for international and interregional activities dedicated to Karelian and Finnish-Ugric Languages. It is a non-governmental organization, which carries out all the work at the Home of the Karelian Language, with the help of project financing and donations. In the spring of 2017, the Home of the Karelian Language launched a so-called “language nest” for school-age children, and it is financed via grants and donations. This spring the “nest” will be opened half a day every day, and the whole day afterwards. They talk only in Karelian at the “nest”, what will help children master Karelian as their mother tongue.

Our organization has been actively earning money for the current costs (power, land lease, maintenance of the Home, pay for subcontracted specialists etc.). However, we cannot develop without external assistance. We would like to ask for help everybody, who is interested in preserving the Karelian Language and life in rural area. You can support the House of the Karelian Language by transferring money to an account in Finland: 

  Recipient:  Karjalan kielen kodi

  IBAN: FI07 5072 0520 1026 19
  BIC:  OKOFIHH
You are welcome to the Home of the Karelian language!