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Digital Inclusion in the Nordic-Baltic Region – The Conference

During two half days, 14-15 May 2024, it is finally time for the “Digital Inclusion in the Nordic-Baltic Region – The Conference” where we will deep dive into the development in the Nordic and Baltic Region! What is the current status of digital inclusion policies, or the rollout of eID and what role does civil society play? This is much more is on the agenda when policymakers, practitioners, civil society, and academia gather in Stockholm.  We will showcase the outcomes of two years of research, highlighting the unique challenges and solutions specific to the Nordic-Baltic Region. As this event aims to foster collaboration, dialogue, and knowledge exchange – we need you in the room with us! During the two days two reports, two studies and two new tools will be launched!  Tuesday, 14th of May  The first day of the conference will tackle the question of “What characterises digital inclusion in the Nordic/Baltic region?” and “What can we do to reduce digital exclusion in the Nordic/Baltic region?”. Topics include discussions on the evolution of the political landscape concerning digital inclusion post Covid-19 in the Nordic and Baltic region, the status of digitalisation of the public sector, barriers and solutions of E-id roll out in the Nordic and Baltic region, the pivotal role of civil society actors in ensuring digital participation across all societal groups and, lastly, how can the political level work together with the civil society level.  Wednesday, 15th of May  The second day of the conference dive into the questions of “How will digital inclusion/exclusion develop in the future in the Nordic/Baltic region?” and “What are the future steps that needs to be taken?”.  Topics include talks on the future skills and capabilities required for achieving digital inclusion and the future role of adult learning in digital inclusion, discussions on how to improve and future…

The Nordic View on Sustainability – lessons and practices

Welcome to this webinar where you will learn about the first ever Nordic Voluntary Sub-National Review of local governments’ efforts to reach the global sustainability goals and Agenda 2030. The “Nordic VSR” is based on a recent survey sent to all Nordic municipalities and regions. In July, Nordregio together with Nordic Local and Regional Government Associations will present it to a global audience at the UN High Level Political Forum in New York. We will share Nordic learnings and show the world that the local level is leading the way. During the webinar, you will be the first to learn more about the preliminary results and recommendations from the Nordic VSR, followed by comments and discussion with key stakeholders, including Nordic municipalities, youth networks and civil society. As our digital audience, you will be able to interact with the speakers throughout the programme via chat and polls. You will also be encouraged to share your success factors, needs and challenges working with the global goals/Agenda 2030 at the local level. Register to the webinar using the form below. The Nordic VSR is produced by Nordregio and an editorial group consisting of:Local Government Denmark (Kommunernes Landsforening – KL)Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities (Kuntaliitto)The Icelandic Association of Local Authorities (Samband)The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS)The Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner) Programme Tuesday April 9, 13.00-14.30 (CET) 13:00 – Welcome by Moderator (Åsa Hildestrand, Nordregio) Greeting by Anna Calvete Moreno, UCLG World Secretariat Barcelona: the Nordic VSR as a tool to boost SDG localisation globally About the Nordic VSR, intro by Nordregio  – survey and production 13:15 Editorial group presents key recommendations in the Nordic VSR:Eveliina Kiema-Majanen, Kuntaliitto, FinlandAnna G. Björnsdóttir, Samband, IcelandAnne Romsaas, KS, NorwayAnna Eklöf, SKR, Sweden 13:30 Comments by civil society,…

Urban Transformation Talks

The TANGO-W project—which focuses on transformative capacity in energy, food, and water—invites urban planners, sustainability experts, and innovative thinkers to join our enlightening webinar series Urban Transformation Talks. The series features partners from diverse European cities who will share insights and advancements in driving sustainable urban development. Register for one, two, or all three webinars to engage with researchers and practitioners, and learn about new approaches to building resilient, sustainable cities. What is Urban Transformative Capacity and why does it matter for sustainability in your city?Webinar 1# 9 April 10-11 CET Our first webinar in this series covers what is Urban Transformation Capacity—and why it is crucial for sustainability. To become more sustainable, cities need to adapt their capacities to meet the challenges following climate change and learn how to successfully implement new processes and governance models in urban contexts. This calls for a paradigm shift among political, administrative, and research sectors, with a focus on linking food-water-energy policies as part of holistic solutions in cross-sectorial collaboration. In this webinar, you will hear insights from Doris Willhelmer (Austrian Institute of Technology); Maria Lennartsson (Stockholms Stad, Sweden) and Stefan Guggenberger (Klagenfurt Municipality, Austria) Urban Transformative Capacity in practice: Implementing sustainability projectsWebinar 2# 16 April 10-11 CET This webinar will discuss the opportunities and challenges of implementing sustainability projects. Insights from practical examples of local urban food production through aquaponics in Norrtälje (Sweden) and a food-waste reduction project with kindergartens in Halden (Norway) provide the context for discussing preconditions of urban transformative capacity. In this webinar, you will hear insights from Anja Wingstedt (Smart Innovation Norway); Kristiina Mustonen (Campus Roslagen, Sweden) and Hilde Marie Wold (Halden Municipality, Norway) Instruments for driving changeWebinar 3# 23 April 10-11 CET This webinar highlights different approaches for driving change towards a sustainable future, shaped by urban…

Nordic urban-rural typology reveals population changes 

We are proud to present the Nordic urban-rural typology and a new report with it!   This new grid-based Nordic urban-rural typology offers a versatile tool for enhancing spatial planning, policy development and research. Join us as we present how to use it to understand territorial differences, settlement, and population development patterns across the urban-rural continuum.   Improved results and analysis on Nordic level  The typology uses 1×1 km grid data to categorise territories in the Nordic countries, by urban and rural characteristics. It identifies seven types of areas: ranging from densely populated urban centres, to sparsely populated rural areas. By using this typology as an analytical framework, we have studied demographic trends across the Nordic region and conducted localised analysis, presented in the report that will be launched during the event.   Thanks to the statistical data – available on a very detailed level – the urban-rural typology serves as an analytical tool, giving you the possibility to compare population trends and settlement patterns between different types of areas and countries, offering a more detailed spatial analysis than ever.  On 19 March, we invite you to a webinar where we will go into depth on why and how we developed this grid-based Nordic territorial typology and then used this typology to conduct comparative analysis across the Nordic countries.  The webinar will cover:  Possibilities for policy and research   Nordic typology shows that many municipalities are at the same time both urban, intermediate, and rural, and in many cases these different categories seem to be undergoing quite different types of development. The typology itself does not communicate any trends, but offers a framework for informed decision-making in spatial planning and policy formulation across the Nordic Region. Analysis enabled by this tool are crucial for crafting effective policies and strategies, especially in adapting to trends such…

Meet a local. A Nordic model of community sponsorship for refugees

Community sponsorship programmes aim to support integration of refugees into the new community. Originating from Canada, the model has gained increasing interest throughout Europe in recent years. At this webinar, we will hear about recently launched pilot programmes in the Nordic countries. The Nordic countries have a tradition of organizing resettlement of refugees as a state-run and -sponsored scheme, involving municipalities during the reception and integration phase. The societal model is anchored in a system of free access to social welfare, housing, health care and education. Community sponsorship builds on the idea, that local volunteers and organizations can add to government-assisted integration support and play a central role in welcoming refugees. It supports the integration by engaging citizens and local communities in providing emotional, financial, and practical help to newly arrived refugees. The volunteers are committed to foster inclusion and self-sustainability of refugees but do not have to contribute financially. Recently launched pilot programmes in the Nordic countries are designed for quota refugees within the national resettlement programmes, and in the case of Sweden also for spontaneously arrived refugees with residence permits. Read more about community sponsorship at UNHCR Representation for the Nordic and Baltic countries. At this webinar, we aim to raise awareness, share practical experiences, and discuss the Nordic model of community sponsorship. Speakers join us from organisations and municipalities involved in community sponsorship and similar initiatives in the Nordic countries, as well as from a Danish partnership programme Venner Viser Vej. Programme: 13:00 Welcome and introduction to community-based sponsorship in the NordicsErika Löfgren, UNHCR Representation for the Nordic and Baltic countriesKaisa Kepsu, Integration Norden, Nordic Welfare CentreÅsa Ström Hildestrand, Moderator, Nordregio 13:15 Experiences from the Nordic countriesAnna Gezelius, Danderyd municipality, SwedenSit Elgeel Abdalkreem Abdalrhman Saber, matched newly arrived, Danderyd, SwedenLeigh Neil, welcoming guide, Danderyd, SwedenÞórunn Pálína Jónsdóttir,…

Symposium: The Public Value of Communication Infrastructures in the Nordics

On 8 February, a symposium hosted by Nordicom and Nordregio brings together experts from the fields of media scholarship, industry, and policy to discuss critical communication infrastructures in the Nordics. The debate will focus on whether the Nordic states are too reliant on tech giants to sustain the critical communication infrastructures of the welfare state. Three panels will discuss the issue from research, policy and industry perspective. You can tune in for the discussion via a live stream on 8 February (11.00-16.00 CET). A recording of the debate will also be available online afterwards.     Programme 11:00 Welcome 11:15 Keynote – Gateways: Comparing Digital Communication Systems in Nordic Welfare States 12:00 Break 13:00 Research panel: The preparedness of communication infrastructure in the Nordics 13:40 Policy panel: Regulating critical communication infrastructures in the Nordics 14:20 Break 14:40 Industry panel: The future infrastructure for democracy in the Nordics 15:20 Discussion 16:00 Closing   See Nordicom’s website for more information about the symposium. About the symposium The symposium is funded by the research project The Datafication of Communicative Power: Towards an Independent Media Policy for Norway’s Digital Infrastructures, The Research Council of Norway (grant number 314257), led by Professor Helle Sjøvaag at the University of Stavanger, and convened by Nordicom and Nordregio as part of the 2024 Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Arctic Frontiers: Gender Equality in the Blue Economy

For most of the Nordic countries, fisheries and aquaculture are important economic sectors. Their labour markets are however male-dominated, and strongly gender-segregated. Project Salmon & Equality, led by Nordregio, gathers knowledge and statistics on gender equality in fisheries and aquaculture across the Nordic countries. At Arctic Frontiers in Tromsö, we will launch the research report on the topic, and have invited renowned speakers to discuss the issue. Join us on Tuesday 30 January 2024! The aim of the event is to raise increased awareness of the need for gender balance in the business and to share knowledge of effective measures. The event will be centered around Arctic Frontier’s overall theme “Action and Reaction,” and will bring together representatives from politics, industry, and research to engage in a dialogue on gender equality within the fishery and aquaculture sector. Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers Karen Ellemann will open the event, followed by expert talks and panel discussions. Welcome to join our side event at the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsö, or join the livestream by signing up to the form below! Researcher and project manager Anna Karlsdóttir will present key findings as well as new policy recommendations covering statistics, harassment, innovation uptake, gender, and governance within the sector. Presentations by: Anna Karlsdottir Associate Professor, Nordregio and University of Iceland Key note speaker: Susanne Mortensen FisherMortensen is a fisher and author of the opinion piece that set in motion the fishing industry’s #Metoo movement, spurring a public debate about harassment and equality. Moderator: Gøril Johansen Chief Executive Officer Pro Tromsø Panelists: Sandra Márjá West, member of Sámi Parliament Ms. Karen Ellemann Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers Malgorzata Smieszek-Rice Researcher, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø (UiT) Gunnar Davídsson Head of Resource Management Department, Troms County Council Administration Edgar Henriksen…

Between hand-outs and stand-outs: The dynamics between rural actors and national goals in Nordic green transitions

Renewable energy projects, with their considerable demand on land use, are rapidly changing the Nordic rural landscapes. At the same time, many people living in the impact area of new instalments feel that national green transition policies put a disproportionately heavy toll on rural people. The resulting sense of powerlessness leads to a heavy resistance that is difficult to solve when a project is already underway. How can we ensure that national and local policymakers recognise the potency of rural actors and engage them in a meaningful manner? How could they create policies that help harness the potential of green transitions instead of dumping them on rural areas in a top-down manner? Welcome to our webinar and discussion on 11 December at 14-15.30 CET! This event presents the policy recommendations drawn from the report Can local value creation induce a sense of justice during green transitions? and discusses them in the context of examples from other Nordic regions. The discussion will focus on concrete steps that both rural actors and national and regional policymakers can take to ensure a more just energy transition in the future. We will tap into the viewpoints of both research and local action groups. Programme Discussants: Panel discussion: We welcome the audience to participate with their questions to the panel! The research project A Just Green Transition in rural areas: local benefits from value creation has analysed the possible benefits and barriers in the context of six case studies in rural regions in Denmark, Finland, and Norway. The project is part of the Nordic Council of Ministers’s Thematic Group for Green and Inclusive Rural Development in the Nordics.

Escaping Fast Fashion – How you can act for change

Did you know that people in the Nordics buy more clothes than the rest of the world and our consumption has gone up during the last 20 years? It’s time to check our shopping habits and spin towards more sustainable choices. Join us for an evening where we find a new direction through an interactive mending workshop and keynotes to deepen our understanding of fast fashion’s destructive impacts on our planet and its people! Escaping Fast Fashion: How you can act for change from The Nordic House on Vimeo. Textile production generates 1.2 billion tons of CO2e annually, outdoing emissions from international flights and shipping. However, we continue to buy too many clothes, as many as 40 garments per year! Join us the night before Black Friday, on 23 November in Reykjavik or online to explore sustainable fashion alternatives. Under the guidance of Icelandic textile artist Ýrúrarí and with inspiration from the Nordic Council Environment Prize Winner 2023, we’ll breathe new life into our old clothes and uncover ways to break up with fast fashion. It is possible to participate both physically and online, and participation is free, but you need to sign up on the event page. Program highlights: The event is organized by The Nordic House in Reykjavik, the Nordic Council Environment Prize, and the project Youth for Sustainable Living, led by Nordregio. Funder: The Nordic Council of Ministers

ARENA: What is the role of the regional authority in tackling grand societal challenges?

ARENA is a space designed to be a hub for knowledge exchange on green, innovative, and resilient regions among key experts in the various fields of research, policy, and practice in the Nordic countries and beyond. This session aims at sparking a debate on what the role of the regional authority is, or should be, in spearheading major transformations. In recent years, the ‘mission-oriented policy approach’ has gained significant attention in political and academic discourse. This new policy approach means pulling resources and science together in a new way to address some of today’s grand societal challenges and to promote transformative change. However, this has sparked a debate about the risks connected to directionality. This is particularly clear in innovation policy, whether such directionality is narrowing the scope of innovation, and whether it introduces place-blind, top-down approaches. To disentangle this debate, speakers will be invited to, first, take a step back and guide us through the functions that regional authorities play in national government systems before delving into what arguably is the emerging position of regions as ‘drivers of change’. Afterwards, there will be a panel discussion and an opportunity for the audience to participate. Speakers: Moderator: We welcome the audience to participate in the discussion with their questions and comments to the panel!

Fiscal stabilizers in Nordic countries: Nordic Economic Policy Review Conference

The ongoing 21st century has brought with it a series of big global shocks the management of which has posed severe policy challenges, not least for fiscal stabilization and stability of public finances. Nordic countries are no exception to the rule. Have conventional fiscal stabilizers, most notably fiscal multipliers and automatic stabilizers remained stable over time and in the face of these shocks? Furthermore, since macroeconomic uncertainty has arguably increased due to the series of big shocks alluded to above, can we observe new features in the interplay between discretionary fiscal policy decisions and fiscal multipliers and automatic stabilizers? These are some of the issues that will be presented and discussed during this peer-review conference of the upcoming Nordic Economic Policy Review. The conference will take place in Reykjavik and online on the 8th of November. The seminar will address questions like: We invite you to a full day with presentations of recent research by leading Nordic experts, comments by academics and policymakers, and policy discussions. We offer coffee and a light lunch for all onsite participants. Agenda November 8, 2023 8:30 – 9:00:              Coffee and registration 9:00 – 9:05:              Welcome remarks 9:05 – 10:15:            Fiscal stabilizers in Iceland                                     Presentation by Arnaldur Sölvi Kristjánsson, University of Iceland                                   Discussants: Gunnar Haraldsson, Icelandic Fiscal Council Katrín Ólafsdóttir, Reykjavik University 10:15 – 10:30:          Coffee break 10:30 – 11:45:           Fiscal stabilizers in Denmark                           …