Tartu – Things got hot in the European Capital of Culture Tartu on Friday and Saturday. At the sauna debate festival “Naked Truth” in Estonia’s second largest city, hundreds of scantily clad people discussed with each other and practiced constructive dialogue in a total of eleven different mobile sweat baths for two days. The sauna-goers were able to take part in moderated discussions on three topics: tradition, green living and peace. There were also three relaxation saunas that were set up at the venue on the banks of the Emajõgi River for the sweaty infusion fans.
“The main idea is to show the rest of society that we can deal with hate speech, polarization in the media and toxic conversation culture if we remember how we behave in the sauna,” said organizer Hannele Valkeeniemi from Finnish Institute in Estonia of the German Press Agency in Tartu. The sauna is therefore a very democratic place without a hierarchy in which everyone is equal. “In the sauna you are naked in every way,” emphasized Valkeeniemi.
Sweating in the mobile front sauna
At the festival you could also sweat in a mobile front-line sauna, several of which have already been handed over to the Ukrainian army. This is intended to strengthen the defenses of the soldiers at the front. The facility was developed as a joint initiative by aid organizations, the Estonian Volunteer Army and a sauna manufacturer.
The sauna debate festival was considered one of the highlights of the European Capital of Culture year in Tartu, which has the motto “Arts of survival”. In addition to the Estonian city, the Salzkammergut and Bodø in Norway will also hold the title of European Capital of Culture in 2024.