Tiina-Katrina Kaber – Moderator

EnterTrainer Tiina-Katrina Kaber is fascinated by all things learning and growth related. Combining highly engaging teambuilding methods with concepts of change management and neuroscience in learning, she delivers events that engage, inspire and create a safe environment for learning. Running the show at EnterTraining and Catalyst Estonia, her main focus is on developing teams using the concept of entertraining: a combination of engagement, analysis and just the right amount of new info. Additionally, she often takes the stage at different events as a speaker, host and energizer, keeping boredom levels down and engagement levels up!

Inese Suija-Markova

Keynote on 26 November

Inese Suija-Markova holds a Ph.D. in Economics and Business and an MBA in Business Management and Innovation from Riga Technical University. She has over 16 years of leadership experience, heading the Institute for Environmental Solutions, a research and innovation organisation focused on environmental and natural resource issues. Since 2009, she has been a member of the municipal council of Cēsis, Latvia, and since 2022 she has served as the vice mayor of Cēsis.

Inese Suija-Markova will explore the often unseen yet decisive role of culture in strengthening resilience, safety, and development in local communities. Drawing on the Vidzeme region’s experience, she will reflect on challenges such as depopulation, economic and geopolitical pressures, and the tension between preserving traditions and embracing modernisation. Through the “Cēsis lens”, she will illustrate how culture can be an economic driver, reinforce identity and belonging, and contribute to the “soft” dimensions of security. The keynote will also consider the effects of internal migration, housing demand, investment trends, and political contexts where cultural initiatives face criticism yet remain vital for long-term community resilience.

Felix Schartner Giertta

Keynote on 26 November

Project coordinator of the BSR Cultural Pearls project.

Felix Schartner-Giertta will share the story of the BSR Cultural Pearls project from the perspective of its lead partner, reflecting on key milestones, the challenges faced, and the achievements made together with partners and Pearl cities. He will also look to the future, exploring how the knowledge and networks built through the project and RESCOM can continue to strengthen social resilience and inspire new initiatives across the Baltic Sea Region.

Ramon Marrades

Keynote on 26 November

Ramon Marrades, economist and urbanist, is Director at Placemaking Europe, founder of Vigla, and strategy advisor to cities and large-scale development projects. With a background in port cities, public spaces, culture, and innovation, he has worked across four continents blending academic insight with hands-on urban transformation. Formerly Chief Strategy and Finance Officer at La Marina de València and board member of the Worldwide Network of Port Cities (AIVP), Ramon will explore how networks connect practitioners, academics, community leaders, market players, and policymakers, and how placemaking can help deliver equitable, healthy cities through co-creation.

Jonas Büchel

Keynote on 27 November and workshops

Jonas Büchel is a social and cultural planner with more than 30 years of experience in design, strategic development and creative urbanism. Over the past 25 years, his work has focused on the Baltic Sea region, where he has led or supported transformation processes in a wide range of local communities.

Jonas will reflect on the deeply human and social nature of resilience, placing the community at the centre. He will argue that culture is the most effective incubator for cooperative learning processes, sparking creativity and driving collaboration. Drawing on years of work with cultural planning instruments, particularly for small and medium-sized cities in the Baltic Sea Region, he will share how earlier projects paved the way for innovative resilience-building initiatives, making them notable success stories and models for continuity in strengthening small and resilient communities.

Krista Petäjäjärvi

Workshop leader

Krista Petäjäjärvi is a Helsinki-based developer, expert, and researcher working at the intersection of art, societal change, and futures thinking. With a background in drama and performance art, she acts as an intermediary, bridging artists and creatives with professionals from other fields to foster meaningful partnerships.

Her workshop session explores the essential skills local authorities, creatives, and intermediaries need to build effective cross-sector partnerships to advance sustainability and community building. Drawing on experience from the CCI4Change project, Krista will share topical research and practical insights into the skills and capacities that enable transformative collaborations. She currently works as an expert on arts-based innovation at the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture (NDPC) in Latvia and is a PhD candidate at the University of Lapland.

Liene Jakobsone

Workshop leader

Liene Jakobsone (LV) is a cultural researcher, curator, and deputy head of culture for Valmiera municipality. Holding an MA in Art History & Theory, she works at the intersection of cultural policy, urban regeneration, and contemporary art, with a strong focus on participatory and site-specific approaches. She led Valmiera’s European Capital of Culture 2027 bid and now develops the city’s long-term cultural strategy and legacy programme Dynamic City (2025–2030). She also leads the transformation of KURTUVE, a former boiler house turned contemporary art space and finalist for the 2025 New European Bauhaus Prize.
In the workshop, Liene will explore how industrial heritage, community engagement, and cross-sector collaboration can turn small cities into active cultural hubs, connecting place-making, participation, and long-term vision.

Anna Enemark

Workshop leader

Anna Enemark brings long-standing experience in cultural cooperation across the Baltic Sea region, having worked with the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, UNESCO Denmark, and the UN City in Copenhagen. Her work connects culture with public policy, civil society, and international collaboration.
In this workshop, Anna introduces the idea of cultural preparedness. This approach expands the conversation around crisis response by focusing not only on physical needs, but also on how everyday cultural practices support emotional and mental wellbeing. The session explores the concept of the safety net of culture and how it can become a vital part of individual and collective resilience.
Participants will take part in a short hands-on activity to identify small cultural actions that help them cope with stress or uncertainty. The session offers a new perspective on preparedness that values cultural habits as essential tools for resilience and shared strength.