Nordic Globalisation Forum in Denmark, May 20
Green growth will be the theme of the Nordic prime ministers' Globalisation Forum 2010 in Denmark on May 20. The five prime ministers, from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, along with representatives of the autonomous territories of Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland, will meet with representatives of business, the media and the world of research. International guest speakers will address the global challenges facing green growth at the Forum hosted by the Prime Minister of Denmark, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Halldór Ásgrímsson.
The idea of an annual forum emerged from a desire expressed by the prime ministers to discuss and develop thinking about the challenges and potential inherent in globalisation from a Nordic perspective. The Forum is intended to serve as a starting point for inspiration and consultation for the prime ministers and for official Nordic co-operation as a whole.
The Nordic Region faces new challenges, especially in the wake of the economic crisis, and needs to prepare for ever-increasing global competition, including in sectors where the countries have traditionally been strong, e.g. high technology, innovation and development. A fundamental global transformation is moving production and consumption in a green direction, creating positive opportunities, but the Region needs to be careful not to take its lead in the green sector for granted. The two main topics at the Forum will be: the Nordic Region as a low-energy society and the Nordic Region as a green-technology laboratory.
The international guests include Jeremy Oppenheim, Global Director, McKinsey & Company's Climate Change Special Initiative; Pascal Lamy, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation and Jørgen Ørstrøm Møller, Singapore Management University/Copenhagen Business School.
Christian Ketels of the Harvard Business School will open the Forum by presenting the Globalisation Barometer for the third year in a row. Much of the debate at the Forum will be based on the Barometer.
The Ministers for Nordic Co-operation and the President of the Nordic Council, Helgi Hjörvar, will also attend.
The Globalisation Forum, which is held under the auspices of the Danish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers this year, has been organised by the Danish Prime Minister's Office and the Nordic Council of Ministers' Secretariat in Copenhagen.
The Forum is being held at Comwell Borupgaard in Snekkersten, north of Copenhagen.
Accredited media are invited to a press conference 20 May, 17:30-18:00.
Please submit full personal details by 11:00 on 19 May to:
Mats Holmström, the Nordic Council of Ministers
E-mail: maho@norden.org
Excerpts from the programme:
Thursday 20 May
10:00 The Globalisation Forum opens.
Welcome by the Prime Minister of Denmark and the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Christian Ketels, Principal Associate, Harvard Business School, presents the Globalisation Barometer 2010.
Venue: Comwell Borupgaard, Nørrevej 80, Snekkersten.
11:30 Roundtable discussion about the Nordic Region as a low-energy society.
Jeremy Oppenheim, Global Director, Sustainability & Resource Productivity initiative, McKinsey & Co.
13:00 Lunch. Talk by Pascal Lamy, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation
Venue: Restaurant Borupgaard.
15:00 Roundtable discussion about the Nordic Region as a green-technology laboratory.
16:30 Round-up.
17:30 Press conference featuring the Nordic prime ministers
Venue: Sal B, Comwell Borupgaard, Nørrevej 80, Snekkersten.
18:30 Dinner at Kronborg Castle.
Venue: Kronborg Castle, Kronborg 2 c, Elsinore
