Kääriku Metsaülikool (“Bush College” at Kääriku, Estonia) was inspired in 2005 by a similar enterprise by Estonians in Canada, started in 1967. The idea is to get a bunch of young people into the bush, far away from city distractions, for a week or so, to discuss issues in an interdisciplinary way. Discussion leaders are recognized specialists who in principle should stay for the duration of the session, to listen to each other’s presentations and interact with the younger people. Kääriku is a sports camp at a lake with two saunas in the southern Estonian woods.
From 2005 to 2017, the topics have been: Estonia’s sustainability and vitality; Estonia one year and 20 years ahead (counting from 2006); Integration of minorities; Trust; Estonia in the world and the world in Estonia; Estonian woman, Estonian man; Internally larger Estonia — regional development; Education, and acting educated; Crisis in capitalism, and why should I care? Arts — are the best times over? To your health! Information being; What worries Estonia(ns). During the school year a series of talks on conflict prevention has taken place in Tartu.
MÜ has published these talks and discussions in five volumes, along with the life story of its initiator, Mare Taagepera. Synergy is the hope and goal, along with cultivating a mutually respectful style of discussion. A nonprofit with unpaid and free flowing leadership, MÜ has been partly supported by the University of Tartu and ….