The Project “Norden for peace?”

EVENTS

The first edition 2016 of the Norden Association Sweden’s magazine “Nordens tidning” has the theme of peace, and a large part of the content has been written by the partner organizations in the project “Norden for peace?”. The project is headed by the Åland Islands Peace Institute and the Norden Association Sweden is one of the partner organizations in the project, which is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ program Nordplus Adult.

The magazine “Nordens tidning” has a circulation of 13,000 copies and reaches members of the association in Sweden as well as some hundred subscribers in the Nordic region. The magazine is available for downloading on the Norden Association Sweden’s website.

On 15-16 April 2015 the project and network ”Norden for peace?” held a seminar in Oslo. The seminar discussed how the Nordic countries and other actors can promote alternatives to militarization in the Arctic.
The project ”Norden for peace?”, is funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ program NordPlus adult. During the course of two and a half years the project arranges one open seminar in each Nordic country on the basis of either of the two main themes – firstly the issue of how the Nordic countries relate to peace; secondly, how to spread and establish peaceful approaches at grassroots level and through adult education.
The network gathered in Norway in April 2015 for an open seminar on the theme ”Security in the High North – Civilian vs. Military Ownership”.
The purpose of the seminar was to obtain a clearer perspective on the roles of, and possibilities for, the different Nordic organisations, institutions and other actors, in developing effective alternatives to militarization in the North. Overall, the seminar gave a comprehensive view of many of the perspectives of a variety of organizations working in the Arctic as well as on current issues to be addressed in the area.

Seminar on security in the Arctic, Norway, 15-16.4.2015

Oktober 2014

Seminar on practical methods for peace work held on Iceland

On 10 October 2014 the project and network Norden for peace? hosted a seminar on Iceland. Four speakers from the Nordic countries shared their knowledge on methods for peace work.
Ida Persson from the Åland Islands Mediation Office talked about how mediation can be used as a method for handling conflicts and about the protocol and core questions that mediators utilize.
Barbara Sivertsen from the Norwegian peace council continued on the same theme by presenting what has been achieved by the Norwegian mediation agencies.
Sue Gollifer, a graduate student at the pedagogical faculty of University of Iceland, spoke about critical pedagogy as an opportunity to encourage peace and justice.
Birger Norup from Global Alliances for Ministries and Infrastractures for peace/Peace Alliance Denmark spoke about research and how to use HearthMath as a method for stress management, increased wellbeing and as a tool in conflict management.

Seminar on methods for peace work, Iceland, 10.10.2014

Mars 2014

Nordic Peace Forum on Åland

On 28 March 2014, the first Kastelholm talks were arranged, i.e. discussions about peace under the auspices of President Halonen, at the Kastelholm Castle on Åland. The Panel of the first talk consisted of Mr. Erkki Tuomioja, the Foreign Minister of Finland, Ms. Britt Bohlin, the Director of the Nordic Council, Mr. Hans Wallmark, Swedish Member of Parliament and Vice-President of the Nordic Council as well as Ms. Aud Lise Norheim, Director General at the Department for UN, Peace and Humanitarian Affairs at the  Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Norway.

Right after the Kastelholm talks an open peace forum was held at nearby Smakbyn with civil society representatives from all the Nordic countries. The speakers represented the organizations participating in the project “Norden for peace?”.

At the open forum the civil society representatives discussed the differences between the Nordic countries and the diversity within the peace movement. This discussion brought forward the differences in the self-images of the Nordic countries in relation to militarism and peace  and trends within the Nordic countries that might not be considered as particularly peaceful.

President Tarja Halonen, moderator Susann Simolin (the Åland Islands Peace Institute), Birger Norup (GAMIP/Peace Alliance Denmark), Fredrik Harstad (the Norden Association Sweden), Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir (the Institute of International Affairs at the University of Iceland), Hedda B. Langemyr (the Norwegian Peace Council) and Tarja Cronberg (Peace Union of Finland).

September 2013

21-22.9.2013
Network meeting in Denmark, where foreign policy and university education was discussed.

Participation in open meeting on Danish foreign and security policy, arranged by fredsministerium.dk.