Why should we learn to love bent cucumbers? And can the Nordic region really help improve the conditions for parental leave in the United States? The Nordic Council of Ministers has devised a new concept for focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and inspiring people to make a difference in their everyday lives. The concept is called NORDIC TALKS, and the first tangible outcome is a podcast series in which some of the brightest Nordic minds discuss global challenges with people from around the world.
Why should we learn to love bent cucumbers? And can the Nordic region really help improve the conditions for parental leave in the United States? The Nordic Council of Ministers has devised a new concept for focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and inspiring people to make a difference in their everyday lives. The concept is called NORDIC TALKS, and the first tangible outcome is a podcast series in which some of the brightest Nordic minds discuss global challenges with people from around the world.
Why should we learn to love bent cucumbers? And can the Nordic region really help improve the conditions for parental leave in the United States? The Nordic Council of Ministers has devised a new concept for focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and inspiring people to make a difference in their everyday lives. The concept is called NORDIC TALKS, and the first tangible outcome is a podcast series in which some of the brightest Nordic minds discuss global challenges with people from around the world.
The global impact of COVID-19 has prompted the ministers for culture to postpone Nordic Bridges in Canada by one year. It is now scheduled to start in January 2022. This decision will enable the partners to fully leverage the potential of this ambitious programme, which aims to strengthen exchanges and collaborations between Nordic cultural practitioners and Canadian partners, while giving a broad Canadian audience the chance to engage in art and culture from across the Nordic Region.
80 percent of those living in the Nordic Region feel that climate change is not headed in the right direction. They would like to see stronger Nordic co-operation on climate solutions. This is good news for the Nordic governments, all of which want to strengthen Nordic co-operation in this area.
In 2017, the USA introduced the Global Gag Rule, which prohibits financial aid to international organisations that perform or refer women for abortions. This is a retrograde step for gender equality and a blow to women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, according to the Committee for Welfare in the Nordic Region. The Committee is calling on the Nordic governments to distance themselves from the rule, and to enhance Nordic and international cooperation on women’s abortion rights.
The Nordic Council of Ministers is launching a new video campaign as part of the dialogue between youth organisations in the Nordic Region. In the campaign, the Danish Youth Council, Alliansi (the Finnish National Youth Council), and the Norwegian Children and Youth Council tell us what Nordic co-operation and youth communities mean to them, in general and during the coronavirus pandemic. This marks the start of Nordic digital dialogue, whereby all youth organisations are welcome to get involved in the debate and put forward topics that can be solved by way of Nordic co-operation.
Twelve works have been nominated for the 2020 Nordic Council Music Prize for their high artistic standard. The nominees include pop albums, soundtracks, symphonies, and concerts produced by three generations of musicians. The nominees were announced during a live digital broadcast from London and Copenhagen on 16 June.
Nominations for the 2020 Nordic Council Music Prize will be announced during a live streamed event on 16 June. This year’s hosts – Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Icelandic composer and previous winner of the prize, and Andrew Mellor, British journalist and Nordic music specialist – will present a special mix of sound bites, video presentations and insights about the nominees.
Without voluntary work, there is no social engagement. Without social engagement, there is no voluntary work. In turbulent times, the importance of this becomes even more clear. There is a strong tradition of voluntary work in the Nordic region – and it is growing stronger. This presents both opportunities and challenges, according to the Nordic Council of Ministers’ report “Voluntary Work in the Nordic Region – Social Cohesion in a New Era”.
Does your working day start with the ping of your mobile as someone wants a pizza delivered? Or a piano carried up to their apartment? If so, you’re one of the few people in the Nordic Region who have a platform-based job. Labour market researchers believe that the pandemic and growing unemployment could give these platforms a boost.
In a survey conducted during April and May, a number of Nordic and Baltic experts have stated that they believe the pandemic will stimulate growth in the bioeconomy. As people become aware of the vulnerability of the global economy, their interest in locally produced food, medicine, and energy increases.
The coronavirus pandemic has had a huge impact on the Nordic Region’s culture sector with cancelled performances, closed museums, and cultural practitioners and artists out of work. At a digital meeting on 28 May, the Nordic ministers for culture decided to support the Nordic culture sector by providing additional funding to alleviate the impact of the pandemic.
Closed borders could lead to cross-border commuters in the Nordic region being taxed twice. Under the current agreements between the countries, you pay income tax where you work, but the Nordic Council is concerned that it is unclear what happens when you are working from home.
The Nordic energy ministers want sustainable energy sources to power the post-pandemic economy. At an online meeting on 26 May, the ministers drew up guidelines for recovery and approved a declaration on the future of the Nordic electricity market.
In times of crisis, it is the people who are already vulnerable, socially or in terms of health, who suffer most. The Nordic countries must work to prevent this by sharing our experiences from the COVID-19 crisis, says the Nordic Council Welfare Committee.
All of the Nordic countries were aware from the outset that the COVID-19 crisis could lead to a rise in violence against women. They increased shelter capacity and introduced new ways for women to alert the police. But right now, gender equality policy is also about ensuring that the governments’ crisis response does not set back gender equality in the long run.
All of the Nordic countries were aware from the outset that the COVID-19 crisis could lead to an increase in violence against women. They opened more refuges and introduced new ways in which women could alert the police. Now, another focus area for gender equality policy is that the governments’ responses to the crisis must not set back gender equality in the long run.
The Nordic ministers for transport want to strengthen co-operation in the transport sector. The ministers held an informal digital meeting on 7 May and agreed to increase co-operation in a number of areas, with an emphasis on green and sustainable solutions.
