Summer camp on Utøya brings together young people from the Nordic Region and Ukraine
“Young Ukrainians must continue to inform others and raise awareness of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The Nordic-Ukrainian youth camp is another opportunity for us to highlight perspectives from Ukraine. Among other things, we’ll discuss how solidarity with and support for Ukrainian young people can be maintained over time,” says one of the Ukrainian guests Dmytro Mamaiev, doctoral student at the Lithuanian Centre for Social Sciences and international secretary of the organisation SD Platform.
Among other things, we’ll discuss how solidarity with and support for Ukrainian young people can be maintained over time.
Forty young people from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and the Faroe Islands will participate in the camp together with eight Ukrainian guests. Over four days, workshops will be held and the participants will get an insight into Nordic co-operation and NYC’s operations. They’ll also delve into various political topics such as the right to live in a sustainable country, digital activism and mental health. A workshop will have a special focus on the war in Ukraine and how to support young Ukrainian activists.
“We see a summer camp as an investment in friendship, solidarity and trust. We’re convinced that Nordic and Ukrainian young people have a lot to learn from each other and that they’ll have important discussions about human rights, tolerance and diversity during their time on Utøya,” says Jorodd Asphjell, President of the Nordic Council.
Young people need to meet in person
“There’s a huge need to make connections and forge new friendships, especially after the pandemic. We can share our experiences, learn from each other’s contexts and be inspired by each other. The meeting will strengthen Nordic youth policy,” says Rasmus Emborg, President of the Nordic Youth Council.
NYC feels that there’s a real need for young people to come together in person, especially after the pandemic. One of the Nordic Council’s focus areas for 2023 is that young people should be included more in society and in politics.
“Facilitating young people’s participation in society and politics is a top priority for the Nordic Council and in the Norwegian presidency programme for 2023. The Nordic tradition of involving children and young people is important, as they play a crucial role in our societies and democracies,” says Jorodd Asphjell, the current President of the Nordic Council.
There’s a huge need to make connections and forge new friendships, especially after the pandemic.
Together we put youth policy on the agenda
Apart from making connections and forging new friendships, the aim of the summer camp is for discussions to lead to concrete political proposals.
“Our hope is that at the summer camp we can come up with some concrete recommendations that we can present both in the Nordic Council and in our respective countries. Together we can put youth policy on the Nordic agenda,” Emborg continues.
Honour by continuing
In 2011, Utøya suffered the worst terrorist attack in Norwegian history when 77 people, most of whom were teenagers, lost their lives. Today, Utøya is a place where young people from all over the world gather to get involved, learn and remember.
“We want to honour those who lost their lives on Utøya and be part of creating a place for young people where they can discuss politics and find solidarity,” says Emborg.
Create a place for young people where they can discuss politics and find solidarity.
