Panel Discussion

Day: Thu 16 Nov, 2017

Time: 13:00–14:15

Venue: Tieva, Lappia Hall, Rovaniemi

Panelists

• Esko Lotvonen - Mayor, City of Rovaniemi
• Matthias Rögnvaldsson - Chair of the Town Council of Akureyri
• Päivi Laajala - Mayor, City of Oulu
• Kristin Røymo - Mayor of Tromsø
• Mika Riipi - County Governor of the Regional Council of Lapland

Chair

Mikaa Mered - Professor of Arctic/Antarctic economics & geopolitics - Free Institute of International Relations Studies (ILERI, Paris).

Why this theme?

Urbanization is reality also in the Arctic. All sustainable development goals go back to what really happens on local level. Here cities and regions play key roles. It is important to focus on what Arctic cities can do together and learn from best practices and what role can regional cooperation in the Arctic take to enhance better living.

Who are the panelists?

Moderator Mikaa Mered is well-connected expert on Polar economic growth models who researches the power of cities in the Arctic and their contribution to reaching the UN Sustainable Development goals. In the panel he has mayors from Arctic university cities to discuss how ideas can be put into practice. Lapland County Governor and International Barents Secretariat join the discussion with regional perspectives.

What can we expect?

Arctic circumstances create special conditions for city planning. Mayors and regional representatives will be challenged to discuss how cities and regions can reinvent themselves in the Arctic to really become agents of positive change.