Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference gathered a large audience

The fifth Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference (16th-17th November 2021) gathered close to 200 guests to Korundi House of Culture and about 100 registered online participants.

The opening part of the Conference served as the international launch of the Finnish presidency of Barents EuroArctic Council. The Conference was opened by Mr. Pekka Haavisto, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland who also participated to a panel discussion with Tuomas Aslak Juuso, President of the Sami Parliament and Daria Makhotina, chair of Barents Regional Youth Council.

Among other conference themes were hard security in the Arctic, EU-Arctic relations and just transition and land use in a changing climate. These sessions were organized together with Finnish Institute of International Affairs, Arctic Society of Finland and three EU Horizon 2020 projects JustNorth, CHARTER ja ArcticHubs. 

Atmosphere at the conference was remarkably warm. For many participants it was the first chance to meet their Arctic friends and colleagues since the outbreak of Covid 19 pandemia.

Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference is Finland’s leading international Arctic conference. It is organized biannually since 2013 and it is scheduled to take place next time in autumn 2023. Main organizers are the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland and the City of Rovaniemi.

Photos of the Conference can be found here: Photos Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit 2021


Additional information:
Project Coordinator, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
Helen Honkasaari
helen.honkasaari(at)ulapland.fi
Tel. +358 40513 7026 

Head of Science Communications, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
Markku Heikkilä
markku.heikkila(at)ulapland.fi
Tel. +358 (0)40 484 4300