Practical information for journalists on the 2022 Session and awards ceremony

Please note that this information will be updated regularly and that changes may be made.

Accreditation for the Session of the Nordic Council is mandatory for journalists who wish to cover the Session in person. A valid press card is required in order to be accredited. You can apply for accreditation until 14:00 (Finnish time) on 28 October. After this date, and if you have any questions, please contact communications advisor Matts Lindqvist by e-mail at matlin@norden.org or by phone on +45 29 69 29 05 or +46 855 3355. 

Now that the accreditation window is closed, please contact Matts Lindqvist if you have any questions.

The Nordic Council press conference prior to the Session will take place on 1 November from 09:50 to 10:15. The participants are the President and Vice President of the Nordic Council. The press conference can be followed in Scandinavian, Finnish, Icelandic, and English (interpretation available). The press conference will be held in the auditorium of the Finnish Parliament and will be streamed live. 

In connection with the Session of the Nordic Council, the Nordic prime ministers will meet and hold a press conference on 1 November. The exact time and location will be communicated later to accredited journalists. Accreditation for the Session is also valid for the prime ministers’ press conference. The press conference will be streamed. Link to follow.

Finland’s President, Sauli Niinistö, will be a guest speaker in the plenary session on 1 November and will also hold a press conference. Accredited journalists will be informed of the exact time and location.

The Nordic ministers for foreign affairs will meet during the Session and will hold a press conference on 2 November. The exact time and location will be communicated later to accredited journalists. Accreditation for the Session is also valid for the press conference of the ministers for foreign affairs.

Registration to the Session will take place in the parliament building after the security check. Entrance through door A of the main building. Upon registration, you will get your press/access card, which allows you to follow the plenary sessions and press conferences.

A valid press card or photo ID must be shown when registering.

Registration will be open at the following times (Finnish times):

• Monday 31 October from 08:30 to 17:00
• Tuesday 1 November from 7:00 to 17:30
• Wednesday 2 November from 07:00 to 18:00
• Thursday 3 November from 07:00 to 15:00

During the Session, photography will only be permitted from the galleries. Only official parliamentary and Nordic Council photographers will be allowed into the chamber. The Nordic Council’s official images will be posted for unrestricted use (except for commercial purposes) at the link below.

There will be a media centre in the Finnish parliament for journalists. The press centre will be located in room E422.

The Nordic Council’s communications advisors will be located in room E420. The communications advisors are available to the press throughout the Session. Contact: Contact Matts Lindqvist by e-mail at matlin@norden.org or phone on +45 29 69 29 05 or +46 73 855 3355.

Follow the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers on Twitter, which will be widely used during the Session. The Session’s hashtags are #nrsession and #nrpol.

The press have access to all the meetings and debates in the plenary chamber, which will be streamed live in Scandinavian, Icelandic, Finnish, and English.

On 1 November, the winners of the Nordic Council’s five prizes will be revealed during a live awards ceremony from Musikhuset in Helsinki, Finland. 

Accreditation: Journalists must be accredited and must register at the Finnish Parliament at Mannerheimvägen 30, entrance A (see information above) in order to participate in and follow the awards ceremony.

Registration: Upon registration at the parliament building, all accredited journalists will receive a special invitation.

Arrival: Upon arrival at Musikhuset, you must present your invitation and photo ID. 

Address: Please use the entrance via Mannerheimvägen 13a. There will be a name list at the entrance. Upon arrival, you will find an information desk for the press downstairs.

Dress code: dark suit

Times (local Finnish time (CET+1):

• 18:45 - the doors open at 18:45. Please arrive on time!
• 19:40 - All guests must be in their seats in the hall by 19:40.
• 19:50 - The awards ceremony starts at 19:50. 
• 20:00 - The television broadcast starts
• 21:15 - The awards ceremony ends at 21:15 Finnish time. Immediately after the awards ceremony, the winners will be available for interviews and photographs. Further information can be found below.

Positions in the hall: There are marked seats in the hall for the press on the balcony. Use entrances 11 and 12.

Terrassfoajé press room: A press room with screen can be found in Musikhuset’s Terrassfoajé. Take the stairs one floor up.

• Nordic Council Film Prize (20:10) - awarded by Prime Minister of Finland, Sanna Marin
• Nordic Council Music Prize (20:25) - awarded by artist and winner in 20:25, Eivør Pálsdóttir 
• Nordic Council Environment Prize (20:35) - awarded by CEO of RePack, Petri Piirainen, who won the prize in 2017
• Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize (20:50) - awarded by chair of the board of Moomin Characters Oy Ltd, Sophia Jansson
• Nordic Council Literature Prize (21:00) - awarded by the spouse of the President of Finland, the poet Jenni Haukio  

Photography in the hall is not permitted – pictures will be regularly uploaded

IMPORTANT: Photography in the hall during the awards ceremony is NOT permitted with the special agreement of the press officer. Press photos from the awards ceremony will be uploaded regularly into a separate press folder for free use (link below).

Interviews with the winners

Immediately after the awards ceremony, the winners will be available for interviews and photographs. A photography session will take place on the stage followed by the opportunity to interview the winners in the green room behind the stage.  

Key times (approximate times, local Finnish time (CET+1)):

• 21:15 - End of awards ceremony and live broadcast.
• 21:20 - Prime Minister Sanna Marin welcomes people to the reception. The winners will remain and go up onto the stage.
• 21:20 - The press will go down from the first balcony to the stage. Use entrance 3 or 6.
• 21:25 - Photography session on the stage. Pictures will be uploaded in a folder (link below).
• 21:25 onwards - Opportunity to interview the winners in the green room behind the stage. 

 SMS +45 21717127 or send an e-mail to elisky@norden.org in advance if you wish to interview the winners of a specific prize.

We will publish news from the awards ceremony as each prize is presented. The news items will be available in all the Nordic languages at and via Twitter updates. We use the hashtag #nrpriser. 

The broadcast from Helsinki’s Musikhuset will start at 20:00 (CET) and can be watched live on YLE Teema/YLE Fem throughout the Nordic Region. The awards ceremony will also be broadcast on other public service channels throughout the Nordic Region. Check your national television listings for details.

The awards ceremony is being produced by Johanna Stenback, CEO and head producer at All Things Content, in collaboration with the Finnish Parliament and YLE.

• Elisabet Skylare, elisky@norden.org, +45 21 71 71 27