For a number of years, NORA has actively participated in Arctic Circle Conference in Reykjavik. Here we have regularly participated in and organized both plenary and side events. In 2024, NORA participated in a panel meeting on the blue bioeconomy, and NORA contributed with perspectives on future relations in the North Atlantic to a session organized by the West Nordic Council.
Previously, NORA has for example highlighted the possibility of exporting green energy from the North Atlantic.
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Generation North Atlantic was a youth conference held in Bodø and Lofoten from September 16–19, 2024. GNA was organized as a pre-event specifically tailored to young people from the NORA region, ahead of the Generation Barents conference — a similar youth event gathering youth from across the Nordic countries. The conference brought together 20 young participants from the NORA region with the goal of creating a platform to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the region, build networks, and gain insight into shared regional issues.
In collaboration with Nordland County Council, NORA was responsible for the planning and implementation of the event, with a focus on the region’s future, youth engagement, and sustainable development.
During the conference, participants were introduced to various industries and businesses around Bodø and Lofoten through presentations, lectures, and workshops. In addition to hearing from Nord University about their various cooperation programs, the participants visited local entrepreneurs who have successfully leveraged the region’s unique characteristics — including local businesses such as the patisserie Craig Alibone in Bodø, glass artist Mette Paalgard, and the creative hub Trevarefabrikken in Henningsvær, Lofoten.
They also visited institutions such as the Lofoten Aquarium and Lofotr Viking Museum, which further highlighted the shared cultural and historical connections between participants.
The conference was praised by attendees as a unique arena where youth from the region could discuss questions and challenges with peers facing similar circumstances. The opportunity to connect and build networks across the region was a highlight for all participants. One part that stood out in particular was the interactive workshop held onboard the coastal ferry between Bodø and Lofoten.
In the workshop, participants divided into groups based on what they identified as key challenges in their respective regions. Each group then developed a project idea and drafted a fictional grant application to NORA. The ideas showcased a broad range of challenges and opportunities from across the region, and the winning concept was a social media campaign that highlighted positive narratives about life in small towns and rural communities.
Stig Heggli Kleftår from Mo i Rana, Norway, shared his experience from the event:
I thought it was absolutely magical to connect with people across the northern regions. I realized we have so much in common, and we should collaborate more with smaller towns and communities in places like Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland. My hometown might even have more in common with those areas than with the major cities like Oslo, Bergen, or Trondheim. I’m taking the energy and knowledge from this experience back into my work and civic involvement — and, more broadly, as a citizen of the North. It was cultural exchange, insight, and experiences I wouldn’t want to be without!
Now in its second year, the NORA-funded ICE Arctic Youth Community (ICEAYC) project is a dynamic, three-year initiative led by Sør-Varanger Utvikling / ICE Kirkenes. With over 50 applicants from the NORA area - including Greenland for the first time in 2024 - the project connects entrepreneurial talents across borders. It opens doors to new opportunities through an agile, event-driven approach.
For most applicants, meeting other members was a strong motivator, as were the community events and the learning opportunities the project offered, including the ICE Innovation Festival, Tonik, Roaming Reddingakaffi, Iceland Innovation Week, Slush and the Arctic Circular Economy Summit.
The programme places a heavy emphasis on putting participants in contact with investors. This is much to the benefit of participants: more than half have already started a business,while the rest are either in the process of validating an idea or are considering trying to commercialise one. In addition to meeting peers, participants also engage with a wide network of mentors, investors and other professionals.
Noteworthy outcomes include the establishment of the Finest Faroese Fund, the expansion of Greenlandic firm Pajussi into Northern Norway as a collaboration among young Greenlandic and Norwegian entrepreneurs, and the selection of Marine Spark X of Norway as the winner of the 2025 High North Young Entrepreneur Award. The project also catalysed the launch of the Arctic Circular Economy Summit (ACES) in September 2024.
Originally aiming for 100 participants, ACES ended up attracting 127 people to the event in Kirkenes, Norway. Additionally, some 60 people visited the event’s pop-up second-hand shop. The strong turnout by ICEAYC members and industry experts, as well as the generally enthusiastic reception, underscored the widespread supportfor this much-needed concept. Promoting circular transition while involving youth has been an strategic focus for NORA,and, in support of this, it will be the general partnerfor ACES 2025. The hope is that 2025 edition will attract 200 participants from across the Nordic-Arctic region. ICEAYC will also have one of its meeting points during ACES 2025.
As the project nears its third and final year, the ICE Arctic Youth Community continues to explore new frontiers, aiming to foster concrete outcomes, long-term partnerships and connections that stretch beyond the NORA-area. And, most importantly, to continue to lay the foundation for a strong and growing community of young people.
15-19 April, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
In April, 10 young people from the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland and Norway gathered in Vestmannaeyjar for the North Atlantic Youth Blue Innovation Camp. For five intense days, the local fab lab was an epicentre of young creativity and innovation. The event, for young people from the NORA area between the ages of 18 and 30, focused on exploring new ideas and solutions for the blue economy.
While in Vestmannaeyjar, participants visited a number of maritime-related businesses, where they saw first-hand the challenges and opportunities facing small coastal communities, resulting in a deeper understanding of the complexity of the local blue economy.
As part of the North Atlantic Youth Blue Innovation Camp, participants were presented with scenarios that asked them to address critical issues related to the blue economy. They were divided into two groups, and each was given a topic to work on:
- Sustainable ocean food and sustainable new ocean industries
- Coastal resilience, social innovation and local communities
The first group came up with a project titled Atlantic Ocean Bloom, which proposed collecting and processing waste from fish farms to create a product that could be used to improve the environment in more nutrient-poor marine areas. The other group came up with Coast Care, an app that aims to inspire beach clean-ups using a range of motivational schemes and rewards.
The guiding idea for the event was the methodology behind distributed design, a collaborative approach to complex challenges in which each participant contributes to the solution. All participants actively contributed, engaging in dynamic discussions and practical workshops where ideas were stress-tested and adjusted based on the outcomes. Their work clearly showed that their visits to firms in Vestmannaeyjar had made an impression, and that they had taken their mentors’ advice into consideration. The high quality of the projects makes it likely they can be taken further.
Participants came away from the innovation camp first and foremost with new skills, but they also established a close network and valuable friendships that span geographical and cultural boundaries. The experience from the event underscored for them that the challenges facing coastal communities are global and cannot be solved in isolation—and that we are all responsible for making the blue economy thrive.
Fab Lab Vestmannaeyar
Established in 2008 as Iceland’s first Fab Lab.
A Fab Lab (short for fabrication laboratory) is a high-tech workshop equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines and other computerised tools. The idea is to offer a space where people can design, create prototypes and manufacture a wide range of innovative and personal creations.
Fab Lab Vestmannaeyjar runs educational programmes for primary and secondary schools, and it is involved in social-innovation and development projects related to the blue economy. Fab Lab Vestmannaeyjar is an active member of the Fab Lab Iceland Network, the Nordic Fab Lab Network and the global Fab Lab Network.
Read more about the North Atlantic Youth Blue Innovation Camp here.
(Photos: Frosti Gíslason / Fab Lab Vestmannaeyar. Photos may not be used or shared without the express consent of NORA. If you are interested in using the photos, please contact us.)
Created with the help of AI, this podcast captures the experience and insights from the innovation lab in Vestmannaeyjar.
30 September-4 October, Québec
The second international Sisimiut conference was held in Québec, from 30 September to 4 October as a follow-up to a NORA initiative that began in Sisimiut, Greenland, in 2023. The initial conference led to the establishment of a North Atlantic network of Unesco World Heritage Sites, biospheres, geoparks and national institutions that has since shown itself to be a solid platform for collaborating on topics related to sustainability, cultural heritage and tourism in the North Atlantic and Arctic.
Organised in collaboration with the Manicouagan-Uapishka Biosphere Reserve, Sisimiut II brought together 60 participants from a dozen countries, including cabinet members, policy makers and Unesco site managers. Among those attending was Québec’s minister of natural resources and Nordic cooperation, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, who echoed the sentiment of many of the participants in expressing a desire for closer cooperation among NORA and other stakeholders in the North Atlantic.
The formal part of the conference, held in Québec City, included plenary presentations, panel debates and workshops. The thematic workshops allowed participants to work intensively on individual topics. One of them, a joint roadmap for cooperation up to 2030, laid the foundation for several projects, including an artist-residency programme, a network for citizen-science research initiatives and a Unesco-supported “voluntourism” programme. Local initiatives, sustainable tourism, indigenous perspectives and partnerships with authorities emerged as recurring themes in the discussions.
The second part took place in the town of Baie-Comeau and featured workshops and field visits to the Uapishka Research Station and in the wider Uapishka region that gave participants insights into local sustainability initiatives and cultural heritage in practice. Participants also met with people living near the reserve. The conference confirmed the strength of the Sisimiut network and sought to enhance its relevance by drawing up plans for its strategic development and a revised structure ahead of a Sisimiut III.
With the Sisimiut initiative and this second conference, NORA has made a significant contribution to promoting cooperation, knowledge-sharing and development among Unesco stakeholders in the North Atlantic. The network has become a driving force for concrete sustainability initiatives and partnerships, and it will continue - now independent of NORA’s direction - to build on the foundation laid in Sisimiut and Québec.
One of NORA’s core activities is to make grants to cooperation projects that seek to further socio-economic development in the North Atlantic region. NORA supports organisations and firms that contribute to innovation, concept development and increased activity in the region.All of the projects that receive NORA funding make a contribution to addressing the issues facing the region and are relevant to NORA’s main objective: to create a strong and dynamic North Atlantic that is notable for its healthy and sustainable economies. As the North Atlantic connects NORA’s constituents, many of the projects receiving funding naturally deal with maritime resources. Other NORA-funded projects contribute to creating and developing new directions and opportunities. In 2023, NORA-funded projects dealt with maritime activities, sustainable tourism, IT, transport, youth and agriculture. NORA funded 14 projects in 2024. NORA’s project portfolio currently includes 36 projects. Some projects recently received funding; others are close to completion.
The project holds innovation events in northern Norway for talented young professionals from the NORA area. Working together in teams, participants come up with creative and sustainable ideas for the cultural and creative industries. The project will make a special effort to promote participation from Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Iceland. These countries are typically under-represented at this type of event, despite them often having the goal of promoting innovation and entrepreneurship among young people in the Nordic region. The events focus on culture,business, creativity and technology, and participating teams are asked to address real-world challenges in the North Atlantic and Arctic, making it possible that the ideas they come with up can be adopted by decision-makers. Participation provides the opportunity to become part of a movement and a growing network that allows young people from the NORA area to draw inspiration from each other, while also creating a community that can open doors to further opportunities.
The project aims to develop seaweed-based foodstuffs that can become a part of our daily diets. The goal is to put seaweed products within the reach of consumers in the North Atlantic. Seaweed firms currently lack a market, in part because their focus is on growing, harvesting and drying their harvest. Everyday Seaweed Food seeks to address this by working with food producers in the NORA area that consumers are already familiar with to develop seaweed-based products.The hope is that this will lead to seaweed being accepted as a healthy,sustainable and locally produced ingredient.
The project aims to revitalise fishing communities in Greenland and Iceland by holding events that highlight their historical and cultural importance. The project will establish a platform that allows firms in Greenland and Iceland to collaborate on sustainable tourism, culture and art, in the hope of accelerating commercial opportunities in these areas. In addition, the project draws attention to communities that in many cases have fallen into neglect, yet remain of interest for visitors, due to their historical importance and the beauty of the nature that surrounds them. The project includes exhibitions about the fishing industry, art and music events, workshops and family activities for people living in these communities as well as for visitors.
The project aims to develop tailored courses in sustainable and regenerative tourism for Nordic communities, in line with international sustainability goals. With a focus on education, the circular economy, and the strengthening of local communities, the project seeks to promote economic resilience and environmental sustainability at the local level. Fare Green is working to provide online education and networking opportunities, as well as to establish a digital platform for knowledge sharing. The project also aims to develop region-specific business models.
Two communities, one in Norway, the other in the Faroe Islands, have embarked on a sustainable-tourism project that will potentially create jobs and generate revenue, while also improving the overall quality of life for their residents by making the communities more attractive places to live, especially for young people. The project is working to develop an agency that will serve as an engine for collaboration among local groups, and which will support the tourism industry by connecting adventure guides and other tourism businesses with visitors. The project has engaged local firms and young people, and aims to create more sustainable destinations in the respective areas.
The project aims to establish a community that promotes cross-cultural understanding and cooperation among young people in the Arctic part of the NORA area. The project will use a series of online and in-person activities to promote entrepreneurship, cultural exchange and social belonging. The project is facilitated by ICE, an innovation lab, and will include the participation of community groups, schools and youth organisations. The main objective is to provide young people with the knowledge and skills they need to become entrepreneurs, and to create an arena for sharing knowledge and addressing challenges together. Ultimately, the goal is to establish a network of young entrepreneurs who can drive change and contribute to a more sustainable region.
The Nordic Council of Ministers is obliged to live up to the Nordic prime ministers’ vision for the Nordic region by 2030. Investments in three strategic areas will contribute to the Nordic region becoming the world’s most sustainable and integrated region by 2030.
To achieve the vision, the Nordic Council of Ministers is investing in:
As part of the efforts to achieve Vision 2030, NORA has been included in the regional policy initiatives and is focusing on five of the 12 objectives that the ministers for Nordic co-operation have identified.
NORA’s tasks primarily consist of the following:
In 2024, NORA made grants to 14 projects that addresses themes like marine ressources, tourism, ICT, transport youth and agriculture.
No decisions may be made prior to reviews and negotiations. The principle of consensus should be applied in negotiations whenever possible. For decisions of principle to be approved, none of the delegations may oppose the decision.
Stig F. Olsen
Member of the Committee and Member of the Working Group, Committee Leader 2024
Thomas Finnøy
Member of the Committee
Lisbeth Nylund
Member of the Committee
Súsanna E. Sørensen
Member of the Committee and Member of the Working Group, Committee Leader 2025
Jákup Mørkøre
Member of the Committee
Alex N. Vilhelm
Member of the Committee
Karin Pedersen Thorsen
Member of the Committee and Member of the Working Group
Niklas Bak Hansen
Member of the Committee
Miki Jensen
Member of the Committee
Kristján Þ. Halldórsson
Member of the Committee and Member of the Working Group
Ásborg Ósk Arnþórsdóttir
Member of the Committee
Frosti Gíslason
Member of the Committee
