The Nordic ministers of culture's globalisation strategy has kick-started a number of initiatives focusing on the creative industries and the promotion of Nordic literature, film and design. The strategy is part of the prime ministers' desire to make the Nordic Region visible internationally.

The Icelandic Minister of Culture, Katrín Jakobsdottír, will meet her Nordic colleagues on Tuesday to discuss the ministers’ comprehensive globalisation strategy for culture. The ministers of culture's strategy 'The Creative Nordic Region' has broad political support from all the Nordic countries, funding and structuring of the specific projects are in place. The start date for these projects will be the beginning of 2010.

"We have all kinds of reasons to be proud that we have succeeded in making the decision and implementing such an ambitious and operative globalisation strategy, as the one we have in the cultural sector. This shows that Nordic co-operation in culture is fully prepared to be at the forefront to meet the challenges posed by globalisation; culturally, artistically and economically", says Katrín Jakobsdottír.

The upcoming Danish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers looks forward to starting up the concrete projects in the ministers' globalisation strategy:

"We are looking forward to continuing the tangible implementation of the exciting cultural projects, which will take off in earnest in 2010. Experience from this autumn's international launch of the strategy in Toronto and our promotion of Nordic films there show that Nordic cultural co-operation has both concrete cultural value and actually created an international response", explained the Danish Minister of Culture, Carina Christensen.

At today's meeting in Stockholm, during the Nordic Council Session, the Nordic ministers of culture also discussed the adjustments to the major Nordic cultural reform which the countries launched in 2005.

Jesper Schou-Knudsen
Senior Advisor, Nordic Council and Nordic Council of Ministers
Tel: +45 21 71 71 35