The early movement was largely Estonian-centric, with the founding board named by the congress consisting of three Estonians: Konstantin Päts, Peeter Põld, and Gustav Ollik.

[3] Fenno-Ugria's first annual report in 1928 outlined the organization's goal as representing Estonia in the Finno-Ugric cultural congress and advance the standing and well-being of Estonians abroad, contributing to the founding of the Association of Estonians Abroad (Välis-Eesti Ühing) which continues to exist in the modern day.

[3] From 1936 to 1938 the congress organized meetings between representatives in Finland, Estonia, and Hungary to develop cultural working groups, standardized educational courses of Finnish and Hungarian languages, and celebration of Finno-Ugric peoples.

By 1937 all three governments officially recognized the congress as an international body that regulates cultural cooperation between the three.

[5] The meeting to restore the Congress was held on April 30, 1991 and was attended by 50 institutions, organizations, national societies and associations.

Namely, at the fifth forum in Khanty-Mansiysk where Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves announced that the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia have the right to self-determination and the right to form their own states within the Russian Federation.