The International Organization for the Study of the Old Testament (IOSOT) opened its 20th meeting at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Theology on August 1st with Opening Ceremony at the Great Hall of the Main Building of the University. The rector of the University of Helsinki, Th. Wilhelmsson had an opening address; after which the two speeches followed. The secretery of the IOSOT, Arie van der Kooij spoke about The 60th Anniversary of the IOSOT and President od the IOSOT, Raija Sollamo gave her presidential address: Why Translation Technique and Literalness again? The Renderings of the Infinitive Absolute in the Septuagint of Jeremiah.

On Monday, August 2nd, main program was dedicated to Archaeology and Texts: From Archaeology to History. Three main speakers were A. Berlejung from University of Leipzig, L. Grabbe from University of Hull and Ratz Kletter from University of Helsinki. The panel discussion in the afternoom was focussed on the Persian Period. The last main lecture was a public one and S. Münger, Juha Pakkala and J. Zangenberg presented the Archaeological Excavationsat Kinneret and Its Environs.

Tuesday, August 3rd, morning was dedicated to Qumran, the Septuagint and Textual History. Three main morning speaker were ladies S.W. Crawford (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Ch. Hempel (University of Birmingham) and A. Aejmelaeus (Universtity of Helsinki). In the afternoon there were ten sessions: 1) & 2) Ancient Near Easter Evidence I and II, 3) Archaeology, 4) Biblical Law, 5) Deuteronomistic History, 6) Hebrew Language, 7) Interdisciplinary Approaches, 8 ) Persian / Hellenistic Period, 9) Prophets and 10) Textual Transmission & Canon. Among the afternoon speakers  there was a slovakian scholar Jozef Tiňo.

The day was concluded by Concert in the Old protestant Church after which followed  Ecumenical Reception in the Helsinki Cathedral Crypt. Reception was hosted by Bishop Eero Huoviena (The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland), Metropolitan Ambrosius (Finish Orthodox Church), Bishop Teemu Sippo (Catholic Church in Finland) and Leader of the Congregation Valtter Luoto (Pentecostal Congregation Saalem in Helsinki). The Roman Catholic Church in Finland has only about 11 000 members, whom serve 24 priests, non native Finish and one bishop, by origin from Finland.

On Wednesday, August 4th, three morning lectures were focussing on the theme Wisdom and Apocalyptic and the main speakers were P. Beentjes from Tilburg University, B. Wright III from Lehigt University and M. Knibb from King´s College London. There were Congress Excursion on schedule in the afternoom: 1. Cultural Tour – Ainola and Villa Kokkonen and 2. in Old Wooden Town of Porvoo and Finnish Art.

The second last day, Thursday, August 5th, was focused on The Relationship of “Deuteronomistic History” to Chronicles with the speakers T. Yamaga from Hokusei Gakuen Universtiy and G. Knoppers from Penn State University and on The Relationship of “Deuteronomistic History” to Prophets in the afternoom with R. Albertz from University of Muenster. The afternoon speakers were K. Schmid, U. Becker, S. McKenzie, Ch. Nihan, C. Edenburg and K. De Troyer who togehter with the morning speaker were active at the following panel discussion. As a cultural program on Thursday was Congress Dinner.

The last day of Congress, Friday, August 6th, was marked with thre excellent lectures of Ch. Exum from University of Sheffield, D.M. Carr from Union Theological Seminary and S. Ackerman from Dartmouth College. The Business Meeting followed as a last point of the Congress agenda. The President of the IOSOT Raija Sollamo expressed her satisfaction with smooth development of the porgramm as well as she apologised form a moment of unintended offence of a particular group of people at the ecumenical reception. To her was expressed thanks too and the president of the next IOSOT meeting in Muenchen (2013) prof. Ch. Levin was introduced.

Among the slovakian biblical scholars was also Milan Sova from Comenius University in Bratislava.

Medzinárodná organizácia pre štúdium Starého zákona (IOSOT) otvorila svoj 20. kongres na Teologickej fakulty Univerzity v Helsinkách večer 1. augusta slávnostnou ceremóniou.
Pondelok, 2. augusta, bol venovaný téme Archeológia a texty: Od archeológie k histórii. Hlavnými prednášateľom doobeda boli A. Berlejung z Univerzity z Leipzigu, L. Grabbe z Univerzity z Hull a Ratz Kletter z Univerzity Helsinki. Poobedňajšia panelová diskusia bola venovaná Perzskému obdobiu. Posledná hlavná veľká prednáška bola verejná a jej prednášatelia S. Münger, Juha Pakkala a J. Zangenberg predstavili výsledky prvých archeologických vykopávok na lokalitách Kinneret a jeho okolí.
Utorok, 3. augusta, bolo doobedie venované téme Kumrán, septuaginta a dejiny textu. Hlavné prednášatelia boli tri dámy: S.W. Crawford (Univerzita v Nebraske-Lincoln), Ch. Hempel (Univerzita v Birmingham) and A. Aejmelaeus (Univerzita v Helsinkách). Poobedie bolo ako zvyčajne venované krátkym prednáškam a to v desiatich sekciách: 1) a 2) Doklady starovekého Blízkeho východu I a II, 3) Archeológia, 4) Biblická legislatíva, 5) Deuteronomistická História, 6) Hebrejský jazyk, 7) Interdisciplinárny prístup, 8 ) Perzské a Helenistické obdobie, 9) Proroci a 10) Textová tradícia a Kánon. Medzi prednášateľmi bol aj slovenský biblista Jozef Tiňo.

Záver dňa bol poznačený dvomi veľkými spoločnými akciami. Prvou bol koncert v Starom protestantskom kostole. Druhou bola ekumenická recepcia v Krypte Helsinskej katedrály. Recepciu sponzorovali evanjelický biskup Eero Huoviena Evanjelikálnej luteránskej cirkvi Fínska, Metropolita Ambrozius z Fínskej ortodoxnej cirkvi, katolícky biskup Teemu Sippo a vodca Pentekostálnej Congregácie Saalem v Helsinkách Valtter Luoto.
Streda, 4. august.