30.4.2025 | Culture

All’s Well in the Sauna

Text Susanna Poikela
Photos Lauri Kulpsoo

“The Naked Truth” Finnish–Estonian forum will be held again this year in the saunas set up on the banks of the Emajõe River. All discussions at the event will take place on sauna benches on the banks of the Emajõe River. Eight different saunas await sauna fans on site. The event will be in Estonian and Finnish, but everyone is invited to enjoy the saunas, and maybe even learn some new words.

Discussions in the sauna forum, which start on the hour, last about half an hour, after which it is time to cool off in the fresh air. This year, the topics will be the environment, traditions, and peace. In Estonian, “rohe, rehe ja rahu”. It sounds poetic, and surely the discussions in the sauna can be just as poetic. It is often the case that when you sit naked on the sauna benches, at least then the unnecessary titles fall off your head. Let’s be part of the eternal “rohe, rehe ja rahu” of the sauna.

“The sauna is known to be the poor man’s doctor, but the sauna also improves democracy. In the sauna, the culture of discussion is friendly, equal, and respectful. The sauna shows us a model for how social discussion can be saved,” says Hannele Valkeeniemi, the event’s executive producer, and director of the Finnish Institute in Estonia.

Among other things, the sauna for the upcoming Capital of Culture Oulu 2026 will be built on the shore, which was originally built in Tartu a year ago. It was made into a disassembled and re-assembled sauna, which is now returning from Oulu to Tartu.

Recently, new models have been sought for safe social discussions. Dialogue based on listening is one model that has begun to be expanded in recent years both in Finland and Estonia. There is a pressing need to find ways to reduce confrontation and hate speech. The sauna is a good example. The sauna is also one of the few places where people are equal, without mobile phones, and no hurrying. “The Naked Truth” discussions are not recorded, meaning all conversations remain in the sauna.

The discussion leaders, or sauna masters, include “sauna minister” Rein Sikk, author Mika Keränen, television journalist Astrid Kannel, director of the film “Savvusanna Sõsarad” (“Smoke Sauna Sisterhood”) Anna Hints, Levila founder Daniel Vaarik, promoter of smoke sauna culture Eda Veeroja, author Triinu Laan, consultant Toomas Trapido, sauna activist Marko “Pluuto” Puksing, and consultant on societal changes Joanna Kurvits.

Tickets are available on site, or in advance on Piletilevi. There are limited seats, so it is a good idea to buy tickets in advance. Tickets for 16 May are available here, and for 17 May here.