Conference Programme (Updated 1.9.2026!)

All keynotes, discussions, and paper presentations in Joensuu take place at the auditorium AG 100 (Agora building).

Abstracts of the papers can be found here.

Wednesday 2 September, 2026

  • Arrivals and registration. Registration starts at 11.30 at the lobby of the Agora building.
  • 13.00 Opening of the conference and greetings Risto Aikonen
  • 13.30 Keynote 1: H.G. Bishop of Synada, Dr. Anthony Vrame. 20 Years Later: Old Challenges, New Opportunities
  • 14. 45 Coffee break
  • 15.15 Paper session 1 (Chair Risto Aikonen)
    • Stavros Fotiou: Religious Education and Religious Minorities: Toward a Unified Theology Subject (TEAMS)
    • Maria Chaita: Tradition and Empowerment: Roma Women in Religious Education (TEAMS)
  • 16.15 Paper session 2 (Chair Vasiliki Mitropoulou)
    • Elisa Balčin: Minority teachers in the school community – a study of Orthodox religion teachers
    • Marina Kiroudi: That’s me: Identity Markers in Glocal Contexts and Orthodox Religious Educational Spaces
  • 17.30 Paper session 3 (Chair Teemu Toivanen)
    • Shtelyan Dimov: The Role and Impact of Religious Education in Bulgaria
    • Niki Papageorgiou: Ethics as an Alternative to Religious Education in Greece: The Challenge of Religious Pluralism
    • Miron Erdei: Minorities in Romania and Religious Education
  • 19.00 Closing of the first day
  • 19.30 Dinner (at own expense)

Thursday 3 September, 2026

  • 9.15 Keynote 2: Professor Arniika Kuusisto (University of Helsinki). Minority Religious Socialization and Sustainable Existential Well-Being in Superdiverse Global Context: Pathways to Resilience (Chair Pekka Metso)
  • 10.45  Paper session 4 (Chair Pekka Metso)
    • Nikolaos Tsirevelos: Intercultural communication and Christian witness: The path towards democratic culture and the acceptance of minorities in education (TEAMS)
    • Evangelos Pepes: From Coexistence to Engagement: Rethinking Orthodox Religious Education in Plural Classrooms (TEAMS)
  • 11.45 Coffee Break
  • 12.15 Paper session 5 (Chair Marina Kiroudi)
    • Madara Mickevica: Spiritual Care for Non-Religious Minorities in a Christian-Majority Context: Christian Chaplains in Latvian Clinical Settings
    • Teemu Toivonen & Pekka Metso: What is catechumen teaching for?  Teachers’ and priests’ perspectives on the purpose of catechumen activities
  • 13.15 Panel discussion of RE among minorities. Panel members Marina Kiroudi, Heini Wesslin, Vasiliki Mitropoulou, Sari Vatanen. (Chair Martin Ubani)
  • 14.15 Lunch
  • 15.00 Keynote 3: Dr.Yauheniya Danilovich (University of Vienna). Negotiating Tradition: Rethinking Orthodox Religious Education in the Diaspora through the Perspectives of Children and Adolescents (Chair Ismo Pellikka)
  • 16.15 Paper session 6 (Chair Ismo Pellikka)
    • Evangelia Karakostantaki & Kyriakos Stavrianos: The Greek Religious Education Curriculum and the Challenge of Religious Diversity in Primary Schools (TEAMS)
    • Vasiliki Mitropoulou & Georgios Fouzas: Bridging Tradition and Algorithms: Attitudes of Theology Students at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) towards AI Integration in Religious Education
    • O.L. Yanushkyavichene & E.R. Kupriyanova: Motivation for Learning on Educational Platforms and Orthodox Conceptions of Humanity
  • 17.45 Closing of the second day
  • 18.30 Visit to the Church of St. John the Theologian (Orthodox seminary church, Torikatu 41) and closing of the second day
  • 19.30 Conference Dinner. USVA restaurant (at own expense). Kauppakatu 44, opposite of the Orthodox seminary church.

Friday 4 September, 2026

  • 9.00 Departure for an excursion to Lintula convent and Valamo monastery
  • 10.00 Arrival at Lintula convent and meeting with igumenia Ksenia
  • 11.30 Departure for Valamo monastery
  • 12.00 Meeting with a representative of the monastery and a tour at the monastery
  • 13.00 Lunch and free time
  • 14.15 Visit to Valamo Lay Academy
  • 14.45 Paper session 7 (Chair Risto Aikonen)
    • Elena Pugacheva: What Cannot Be Automated: Saint Nektarios of Aegina, Artificial Intelligence, and the Pedagogy of the Heart in Orthodox Religious Education
  • 15.15 OCREA´s Business meeting – what next?
  • 16.00 Return to Joensuu (arrival to Joensuu approximately 17.00)
  • 19.30 Dinner (at own expense)

Saturday 5 September, 2026

Departures