Nordic Council Meetings all over the region

The Nordic Council brings its members together for ordinary meetings six times a year. Most of the meetings are held in the capital cities, but the summer meetings are different. In the summer, the committees meet at different locations throughout the region, giving the politicians a chance to visit new places and learn more about life in local communities. The idea is to give them greater insight into the challenges, opportunities and living conditions in different parts of the region. The summer meetings are also where the political work leading up to the Session is done through discussions of proposals, recommendations and other relevant matters. 

The Presidium originally planned to meet in Rovaniemi, Finland, but earlier in the year it changed the venue to Nuuk in solidarity with Greenland. The President of the Nordic Council, Ville Väyrynen, took part in Greenland’s National Day celebrations and met with representatives of the Greenland parliament, the health sector and the Consulate of Canada to Greenland. Weather conditions meant that some members were only able to take part online, but the programme in Nuuk went ahead as planned. The agenda included work on a new Nordic strategy for societal security, as well as meetings with official bodies and civil society representatives in Greenland to discuss Arctic security, civil preparedness, children’s rights and social resilience. In line with the joint Finnish-Åland programme for this year’s Presidency of the Nordic Council, the discussions emphasised that Nordic security is about much more than just military defence. The visit also underscored the importance of close Nordic co-operation and of standing shoulder to shoulder with Greenland at a time of geopolitical uncertainty.

Local produce, food security and sustainability were the main topics when the Committee for a Sustainable Nordic Region met in Mariehamn. Åland may be small but, the scale of its agricultural sector means that it makes it a significant contribution to Finland’s food supply. The islands also have a reputation for prioritising and using local produce. The Committee visited several companies to see how Åland works with local food, including Ålands Trädgårdshall, Grannas Äppel, Taffel, local farms, and restaurants. The visits provided insights into practical ways sustainable solutions are being deployed. The Committee members saw how seawater thermal power is used to heat greenhouses, and how surplus heat from the cooling of fruit and vegetables is stored in the mountains and reused during the winter.

What are the best ways to protect levels of welfare, irrespective of where or how people live? This was a key question at the summer meeting of the Committee for Welfare in the Nordic Region in Storuman, Sweden. Rural areas may be less densely populated than towns and cities, but people’s needs are the same. High-quality welfare services require innovative thinking, political prioritisation and local support. The Committee also saw how digitalisation has become a key part of the solution, with digital health rooms and new technology providing equal access for all to treatment, even when the nearest hospital is far away.

How can we make it easier to live, work and run a business anywhere in the Nordic Region? This was one of the key questions at the summer meeting of the Committee for Growth and Development in the Nordic Region in Stockholm. The Committee and the Swedish National Bank discussed ways of making cross-border payments faster and more affordable for both people and businesses. Nordic correspondents from Denmark, Norway and Finland met with the Committee, highlighting the growing media interest in Nordic co-operation at a time when security and economic challenges make co-operation between the countries more important than ever.

The Committee for Knowledge and Culture in the Nordic Region held its summer meeting in Skagen, Denmark. The agenda included discussions of several policy issues, including a member’s proposal to improve young people’s media literacy. The programme also included sessions on collaboration between libraries, digitalisation and the challenges international streaming services pose for the Nordic film and TV industries. Visits to Skagen Art Museum, MARTEC and Tolne Efterskole, gave the members insight into how culture, education and skills make local communities resilient and the Nordic Region stronger. Skagen was a fitting venue, a town where Nordic art, culture and community have left lasting marks, especially due to the work of the Skagen painters. The meeting concluded with a visit to the local Midsummer celebration.