ABOAGORA: Venus, the Bringer of Peace
Program
10–12 September 2025
Sibelius Museum, Turku Finland
10 September 2025
Wednesday
Mareike Dobewall, artist, artistic researcher, educator
Marjo Kaartinen, Rector, University of Turku
Vertti Luostarinen, creative technologist and AI reseacher
Iina Taijonlahti, choreographer
Linda Bondestam, author, artist
Ida-Marie Corell, artist, performer, researcher and polysynesthete
Elie Halonen, visual artist, shibari artist
Satu Hakamäki, dance and live art artist
Pia Palme, composer, artistic researcher, performer
11 September 2025
Thursday
Taru Elfving, curator & researcher
ABOAGORA Retreat 2025 participants
Organized by the Tampere Peace Research Institute (TAPRI)
Zahra Edalati, Myoungjin Moon, Juulia Niiniranta & Sina Krämer
Erkki Tuomioja, PhD, Docent, author, politician
This session takes place at the Turku Cathedral, and is open to the public.
Emma Göransson Almroth, textile artist, archaeologist
Frank Berger, musician, composer & theologian
12 September 2025
Friday
Organized by The Centre for Sustainable Ocean Science (SOS)
Selma Ćatović Hughes, doctoral researcher, artist
Nejra Mulaomerović, researcher, producer and manager
Ismar Čirkinagić, visual artist
Anita Karabašić, designer & visual artist
Natalia Djandjgava, Country Manager at CMI-Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, researcher
TBA
Registration
Registration for ABOAGORA 2025: Venus, the Bringer of Peace is now open! Remember to register by the end of August so you can access the whole intriguing program. All registered participants will have coffee and snacks during the breaks and access to the closing reception on Friday.
The workshop “Mapping Venus” by Ida-Marie Corell has limited capacity and will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. Post-registration is available during the event at the event info desk, if spaces are available.
For possible questions, you can be in touch with us directly via aboagora@utu.fi
Participation fees
The participation fee for ABOAGORA 2025 is 50 €. A reduced fee of 20 € applies for students, doctoral researchers, professional artists or other unwaged participants.
This year, there is also a one-day ticket (20€) for those who can participate only on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday.
The participation fee covers all sessions and catering during the coffee breaks. If spaces are available, post-registration is available during the event at the event info desk.
Some of the sessions, including the keynote AGORA sessions, are free and open to all.
A new thematic series
The Planets
In 2024, ABOAGORA kicked off a new thematic series, The Planets. The theme is based on the orchestral suite of the same name by the composer Gustav Holst (1874–1934), composed between 1914 and 1917. Each of the composition’s seven movements famously represents a planet in our solar system, bringing forth various ideas, myths and dreams connected to the celestial bodies and the astrological characters associated with them. The series will continue all the way to 2030.
The annual themes of the Planets-thematic series are based on the seven movements of the suite, providing inspiration and a thematic starting point for each year’s events:
- 2024: Mars, the Bringer of War
- 2025: Venus, the Bringer of Peace
- 2026: Mercury, the Winged Messenger
- 2027: Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity
- 2028: Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age
- 2029: Uranus, the Magician
- 2030: Neptune, the Mystic
In 2025, Aboagora will focus in Venus, the Bringer of Peace. As a continuation of the previous year’s war theme, Mars, the main event at Sibelius Museum on 10th–12th September deals with peace, détente, conflict resolution, peaceful coexistence between peoples and different species, as well as inner peace and well-being. In addition to peace, Venus has been linked to beauty, love, and fertility, to name a few associations, as well as the carnivorous plant Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)! ABOAGORA program will consist of interdisciplinary dialogues, keynotes, presentations, and panels, artistic performances and sessions, as well as workshops, all presenting different scientific and artistic perspectives on peace.