Archives: Norden News Entries

On 22 and 23 June, the Nordic Council Committee for Knowledge and Culture gathered in Skagen for its summer meeting. The agenda focused on cultural heritage preparedness, the skills needed for the future, and how educational environments can better support children and young people with diverse needs. During the meeting, committee members explored several local examples reflecting shared challenges and opportunities across the Nordic Region.

“Trust is one of the most important resources in the Nordic Region.” This was the starting point for the Nordic Youth Council’s summer camp on Utøya. Around 50 engaged young people from across the Nordic Region and Ukraine came together to spend four days sharing ideas, building relationships, and discussing the future.

Despite the Nordic Region being one of the most integrated regions in the world, it is still unnecessarily difficult and expensive to transfer money between the Nordic countries.

Security in Nuuk, cultural preparedness in Skagen, sustainable food production in Mariehamn, rural welfare in Storuman, and barriers to freedom of movement in Stockholm. The Nordic Council held its annual summer meetings at venues across the region last week. These meetings give Council members a chance to see opportunities to see how Nordic policies play out in day-to-day life, and to incorporate insights from local communities, businesses and residents into their policy work policy.

From a mobile nature school in Åland to a Norwegian environmental organisation run by children. The Nordic Council Environment Prize 2026 focuses on initiatives that engage children and young people in environmental and climate issues.

A new survey on trust in public institutions and confidence in the future, commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers in partnership with SuomiAreena and conducted in spring 2026 in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden, shows that Nordic citizens have a high level of trust in Nordic co-operation – more than in many national institutions. Trust between people in the Nordic Region remains one of the region’s greatest strengths and is closely linked to optimism about the future.

The Nordic Council of Ministers is inviting applications for the project “Method Development for Increased Participation”, a new initiative aimed at strengthening democracy in the Nordic Region by developing and disseminating models that enhance citizens’ influence in decision-making processes, and in particular the influence of children and young people.

Nordic co-operation on societal security and on emergency preparedness received a significant boost today when the co-operation ministers agreed to beef up and coordinate work on these topics throughout the region.