RE:Barents at Nordnorske Europadager

The RE:Barents project was well represented, and the RE:Barents partners co-organisers of the event “Nordnorske Europadager” (European days in Northern Norway), which this year had events in Narvik (24 October), Tromsø (29 October) and Vadsø (31 October). KS organised three panel discussions on the theme “Can international cooperation contribute to strengthening national security and local development in Northern Norway?”, all chaired by RE:Barents participant from KS Elita Cakule.

In the panels in Tromsø and Vadsø RE:Barents researcher Vigdis Nygaard (NORCE Research) presented and discussed lessons learnt from Norwegian-Russian municipal collaboration in the Barents region (see report). The photo shows the lively discussion in Vadsø (from left Elita Cakule and Elisabeth Søhoel (both KS), Vigdis Nygaard, Jørgen Holten Jørgensen (Municipal Director in Tana municipality) and Marit Jacobsen (Barentssekretariatet and also RE:Barents participant). At a side event in Vadsø (see own post) NIBR researcher Aadne Aasland presented findings from a recent RE:Barents survey on Norwegians’ attitudes towards Russia, Russians and Norwegian Russia policy, comparing findings from Southern and Northern Norway, with a special focus on Eastern Finnmark, followed by comments and debate.