Conference, workshops, and public event
How to Promote Bildung
European Bildung Days
May 8-10, 2025 in Hamar, Norway
Bildung is a ‘need to have,’ not a ‘nice to have,’ particularly as the world gets more chaotic and if we still want democracy.
So, how do we promote bildung? How do we educate so that we promote students’ bildung? How do we promote awareness about bildung in society? Particularly among politicians and other decision makers?
Join us for some thought provoking, creative, and festive European Bildung Days in Hamar with other bildung professionals, semi-professionals, volunteers, researchers, and perhaps even some politicians.
Beautiful Hamar is just 1 easy hour by train north of Gardermoen Airport near Oslo, and it will be green, Norwegian spring when we’re there.
Preliminary Program Outline
Thursday, May 8
If you arrive the day before, or if you are one of the locals who are curious about the European Bildung Network and what we do, please join these social bildung activities and say hello to the organizers:
Afternoon
Bildung and conference appetizers at Brødrene Jacobsen wine bar, Hamar.
Early Evening
Folk high school student concert at Hamar Cultural Center; tickets available soon
Evening
Bildung people are interesting and fun people to be around, and if you join us at Brødrene Jacobsen wine bar, it will be even more fun and interesting!
Classical Music Bildung and Cartoon Composers from Bugs Bunny to Donald Duck
Ludvig Claeson, Norway
Gastronomic bildung – Food for thought?
Daniel Östergren, Sweden
Thursday’s get-togethers are open to the public, and food and drinks are not included in the conference ticket
Friday, May 9
Input Day
A full day of presentations and discussions about what it means to be human and how to enable, promote, and integrate bildung in education, non-formal education, and other activities.
Click on the pictures for more information about the speakers.
10:00-12:00: Conference opening
It’s Europe Day, and you don’t want to miss our festive, musical opening!
Welcome by the organizers
Andres Lopez
Norway
Lene Rachel Andersen
Denmark
Ludvig Claeson
Norway
Plenary Keynotes & Discussions
Working with 16-19-year-olds and promoting bildung
Lars Andreasen, since 20 years a teacher at a youth folk high school, Denmark
Story Time: how story makes and changes the world
Sarah Woods, award-winning writer and playwright, often for the BBC, United Kingdom
The Finnish Year of Sivistys (Bildung) 2024
Björn Wallén, educator and chairman of the Finnish Association for Adult Learning, Finland
We’ll Stand Together, We’ll Do Our Best!
What I learned as a girl scout and why I still have my uniform
Lene Rachel Andersen, author of The Nordic Secret, Denmark
12:00-13:00 Lunch
13:00-14:30 Plenary Keynotes & More Discussions
Self-Organization at the Grass Root Level: Bildung the Norwegian Way
Torunn Elise Kveen, the Study Association Culture & Tradition, Norway
Head, Heart, and Hand: Craftsmanship and Bildung
Speakter TBA
European National Identities in Classical Music
Ludvig Claeson, Secretary General, Norwegian Music Study Association, Norway
14:30-15:00 Coffee Break
15:00-17:00 Parallel sessions
Permaculture, bildung, and restoration of nature
Emma Skamris Therkelsen, youth folk high school teacher, Denmark
https://www.euh.dk/vildmarken
Bildung: education for the Common Good
Kees Spijker, the Netherlands
Marcel Elsenaar, the Netherlands
Turning struggles and challenges into opportunities for creative learning
Agota V. Szendrei, Austria
Paideia and Bildung: Perspectives on Cultivating the Self
Yuliia Naidych, Ukraine
Seven Species of Bildung
Björn Wallén, adult educator, Finland
If you are interested in presenting a paper during this part of the conference, please let us know
Reflection time
18:30-22:00: Conference Dinner
& celebration of Europe Day
Saturday, May 10
Output Day
We need to be creative and cooperate to promote bildung in Europe.
09:00-10:45 Creative Workshops 1
A: Let’s write an opinion piece together for news papers across the continent
B: How to create better bildung programs
C: How to promote and use the European Bildung Manifesto
Coffee break
11:15-13:00 Creative Workshops 2
A: How to get bildung on the political agenda
B: How to create better bildung programs
C: How to learn from the Finnish Year of Bildung and host European Bildung Days across the continent
Lunch
14:00-16:00 Public event
An afternoon with and about bildung
Languages: Norwegian, Danish, and English
18:00 Dinner and evening event
For those who stay an extra day in Hamar; not included in the conference ticket
Tickets
Full Conference package, May 9 and 10: €269,-
Includes coffee, snacks, and all conference meals Friday and Saturday
Conference only, Friday 10:00-17:00 €119.00
Conference dinner only, Friday 18:30-22:00 €79.00
Full conference, student price €149.00
Conference, student price without conference dinner Friday €99.00
We can offer a reduced price on the full conference to participants from:
Ukraine: 20% off
Europe south and east: 10 % off
please email us for more information
Takes you to nordicbildung.org
Accommodations not included, but we can highly recommend Clarion Collection Hotel Astoria where both breakfast and dinner are included in the price:
https://www.strawberry.no/hotell/norge/hamar/home-hotel-astoria/
Historical settings
Experience unique bildung history! The main conference on Friday, May 9, will be at a very special, place: Sagatun. The very first folk high school in Norway from 1864, which was just completely renovated in the original style.
Testimonials about EBD 2024
The Bildung events are a source of hope that emerges, witnessing incredible human capacities to apply education to solve complex social, environmental, cultural, political, or economic problems. The people who gather at the events are the fateful minority that, through partnerships and prototypes, draw trajectories for future Bildung development.
Irena Pranskevičiūtė
School principal, Domus Solis, Lithuania
European Bildung Day is the best ground to share and learn the perspectives that are forming our reality now. In a more disconnected world we need platforms like this that help us understand each other better and expand our worldview beyond our cultural, national or other bubbles..
Elena Tochilina
Organizational consultant and leadership coach, Ukraine
Attending European Bildung Day 2024 was like coming home. Finally a group of people who not only are curious about identifying the complexities of the problems with education, they are also all already out there working to solve them.
Kåre Wangel
Sociocracy consultant, Denmark
The European Bildung Day seemed like a very elaborate and intricate organization/event, yet it felt very personal and “down-to-earth”. Songs and jokes helped me personally to change my perspective from an outsider to part of the group..
Lyuba V. Nicheva
Student of Political Science at Leiden University, from Bulgaria
The European Bildung Days 2024 in Rotterdam were truly inspiring! The event brilliantly showcased how Bildung answers the right questions for personal and societal growth. A must-attend for anyone passionate about holistic education and development!
Armin Sieber
School principal, consultant for school development, Switzerland
Attending the European Bildung Day 2024 was an incredibly enriching experience for me. The event provided deep insights into the concept of Bildung and its underlying principles, broadening my understanding significantly. Beyond the excellent learning opportunities, I also had the chance to connect with many remarkable individuals, making the experience both intellectually and personally fulfilling. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this event..
Martijn van Ginneken
Student of business administration, The Netherlands
Conference organizers:
https://www.globalbildung.net/what-it-means-to-be-human-2025-march-22/The European Bildung Days will be inspired by the anthology What it Means to Be Human, which is also the theme for the online global bildung events on Equinox.
