On 1 December 1937, the Ministers of Education of Estonia and Finland signed an educational and cultural cooperation agreement in Helsinki, originally titled the “Convention on Intellectual Cooperation.” The following year, the agreement was ratified by the Presidents of both countries as an international treaty. Remarkably, due to the historical circumstances of Estonia’s occupation, the agreement was never officially annulled, making it the only treaty from that period to remain continuously valid both legally and in practice.
To mark the 88th anniversary of this historic agreement, the Board of the Estonian-Finnish Cultural Foundation decided to establish a Cultural Cooperation Prize alongside its annual scholarships and grants. The prize carries a value of €10,000.
The inaugural prize was awarded to acclaimed Estonian actor and director Juhan Ulfsak (b. 1973).
Photo: Heikki Nenonen
Over the years, Ulfsak has collaborated extensively with Finnish actors, theaters, film directors, and the Theatre Academy of Finland. In addition to mentoring generations of Finnish theater students, he has played a central role in numerous Estonian-Finnish co-productions on stage, in film, and in television series.
Some of his most notable collaborative projects include:
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2011 – Directed the play Viha sydämessä at Teater Jurkka
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2013 – Appeared in Pirjo Honkasalo’s award-winning film Concrete Night
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2016 – Directed the play Kärpästen jumala at the Theatre Academy of Finland
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2016 – Participated in a co-production between the Finnish National Theatre and Von Krahl Theatre
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2020 – Acted in the Estonian-Finnish co-production film Viimeiset, directed by Veiko Õunapuu
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2021 – Appeared in the film Hyökkäys Suomeen, directed by Aki Louhimies
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2023 – Featured in the international television series Estonia
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2025 – Appeared in the Finnish-Estonian-Swedish co-production film Orenda, directed by Pirjo Honkasalo
The award ceremony for the first Estonian-Finnish Cultural Cooperation Prize took place at the Estonian Embassy in Helsinki on 1 December 2025 at 17:00.
Photo: Heikki Nenonen
Contact:
Gunnar Okk
Chairman, Estonian-Finnish Cultural Foundation
Further information: Jaana Vasama, +358 50 560 6328
About the Estonian-Finnish Cultural Foundation:
Founded in 2016 as a private foundation, the Estonian-Finnish Cultural Foundation aims to strengthen cultural and artistic cooperation between Estonia and Finland, enhance language skills, support joint projects, and promote cultural exports to third countries. The Foundation provides grants and scholarships to individuals and organizations to facilitate joint art, culture, and education projects.