DECLARATION OF INTENTIONS
OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE SEMINAR
INTERNET IN THE FINNO-UGRIC
INFORMATION SPACE

Tallinn, 10 to 13 April 1997

Agreeing that

the Finno-Ugrian organisations are in need of an operative and free system of exchange of information;

the Finno-Ugric peoples urgently need access to global information, in order to have free and unimpeded access to the cultural heritage of the world and to present their national cultures;

the Internet is an important means of exchange of information, capable of activating and speeding up communication between Finno-Ugrian organisations on the world and enabling the exchange of information with the global community;

the Internet gives a unique opportunity to unite all Finno-Ugric peoples, otherwise scattered over huge territories, from within and with each other in a shared informational and cultural space; this could offer new outlets to cultural life and protect them from total extinction;

we declare that we shall

• join our forces to find possibilities to provide access to the Internet;
• create the conditions and effect the input and presentation of materials about the culture, institutions, life, etc. of the Finno-Ugric peoples by all possible means;
• propagate and promote the use of Internet in Finno-Ugric territories, relying on internal resources and help from the partners;
• if possible, give non-commercial, public and cultural organisations of the Finno-Ugric peoples and regions access to the Internet;
• offer organisational, informational and other support to non-commercial, public and cultural organisations of the Finno-Ugric peoples and regions in their efforts to gain independent access to the Internet, relying on internal resources and help from the partners;
• distribute information about Finno-Ugrian institutions presented over and having access to the Internet in the form of hypertextual references on www pages, printed publications and other forms of information exchange;
• provide each other with any kind of required and serviceable information, including www addresses, electronic mail addresses, basic and operative information about the Finno-Ugric peoples and regions.

Participants:

Vladimir Alasheyev Assistant Director of TV-studio, National Broadcasting Company Udmurtia
Gabriella Benko Hungarian National Organization of the World Congress of Finno-Ugric Nations, Hungarian TV (MTV)
Irina Dobrynina Networks Administrator, National Library of Karelia
Andres Heinapuu Manager, Information Centre of Finno-Ugric Peoples (SURI)
Aleksander Kirjanen Vice-Chairman, Inkerin Liitto (Union of Ingrian Finns)
Ivan Lavresh Director, Institute of Automated Systems, Administration of the Head of the Komi Republic
Mikhail Matveyev Director of National Programmes, National Broadcasting Company Komi Gor
Galina Mikhailova Director of TV, National Broadcasting Company Mari El
Olga Nasadkina Head, Web-Laboratory, Petrozavodsk University
Hannu Oittinen Editor, Taifuuni Publishers, Finland
Yevgeni Rozhkin First Deputy Minister of National Affairs, Komi Republic
Vyacheslav Shaidullin Editor, newspaper Cholman, Bashkortostan
Vladimir Uchaev Editor of National Programmes, Mordovian TV
Vera Yagodkina, Director, Karelian House of Books
Erik Yuzykain Post-Graduate, Tallinn Pedagogical University

Tallinn, 12 April 1997