The Nordic Safe Cities continues as an independent association

17.02.20 | News
Safe Cities
Photographer
Johannes Jansson/norden.org
2020 marks the beginning of a new journey for The Nordic Safe Cities alliance towards an even stronger network, as it continues as an independent association. A transformation that underlines the success of the project and the creation of even closer Nordic cooperation to secure the safety of our region.

- To me, it is a great success, that we have initiated an activity that now can stand on its own, as a city to city network. Nordic Safe Cities really have been, and I am sure it will continue to be, at the forefront of this important work that needs support from all levels, sounded the words form the General Secretary of Nordic Council of Ministers, Paula Lehtomäki, in her speech at the Nordic Safe Cities Summit in Stockholm. Countries around the world experience tensions and terror attacks. These attacks indicate an increase in violent extremism, polarization, and hatred in Nordic societies. Radicalization and violent extremism do not only threaten the common security but do also threaten the basic values on which Nordic societies are founded. This threat feeds fear and distrust in communities, schools, residential areas and in social online forums.

Born in 2016 – adult in 2020

As a response to the tragic attacks and negative tendency, Nordic Safe Cities was initiated in 2016 by the Nordic Ministers of Council. Now four years after, Nordic Safe Cities alliance has successfully proved it can to stand as it has been transformed in to its own independent and non-profit organisation. In line with the Danish presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2020, the Nordic Safe Cities be seen as a best-case example of how small initiative can grow into solid projects and result in the establishment of an independent organisation.

More than ever, Nordic Safe Cities is now able to improve and boost the support to the strategy and policies on safety and security in the Nordic member cities, advance the work to bring the Nordic prevention models out to the world and attract new partners and funding to support the cities.

To me, it is a great success, that we have initiated an activity that now can stand on its own, as a city to city network. Nordic Safe Cities really have been, and I am sure it will continue to be, at the forefront of this important work that needs support from all levels

Paula Lehtomäki, General Secretary, Nordic Council of Ministers

10.000.000 NOK to Norwegian cities

The Norwegian organisation The Gjensidige Foundation handed over 10.000.000 NOK to support Norwegian cities in the Nordic Safe Cities network through a new project. The project is called “Safer norwegian cities” and aims to strengthen Norwegian urban communities and help residents feel safe. Ingrid Tollånes, The Director of gifts at Gjensidigestiftelsen is pleased about the new collaboration and. She explains:

- We are proud to launch our new initiative:” Safer Norwegian Cities”. It is the ambition that the initiative, in cooperation with the Nordic Safe Cities alliance, will lead to new, solid efforts in Norwegian cities that enable local communities to promote open and safe cities and prevent hate, violence, and extremism.