NordenBladet —On Friday, Moret will meet with the President of the Riigikogu Henn Põlluaas and members of the Estonia-Switzerland Parliamentary Group. She will also meet with the Deputy Chairman of the European Union Affairs Committee Riina Sikkut.
The visit will include meetings with a Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications expert on energy markets, and with the Head of the Health Service of the Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre that manages digital prescriptions.
Today, the Swiss official will visit the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence and the e-Estonia Briefing Centre. Moret will depart on Saturday.
NordenBladet —Tomorrow, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jeppe Kofod, will launch the campaign of current OECD Deputy Secretary-General Ulrik V. Knudsen as Denmark’s candidate for Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
OECD Deputy Secretary-General Ulrik V. Knudsen – former Permanent Secretary of State of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Danish Ambassador to the OECD – has a proven track record in the field of global cooperation and possesses unparalleled insight into the workings of the OECD.
“OECD is a vital international organisation that helps its 37 Member countries and over 100 developing countries envision and craft policies that foster equality, prosperity and new economic and social opportunities. A strong OECD is more important than ever. The OECD needs a proven leader who knows the organisation and its members – the problems, the perspectives and the potential. Ulrik V. Knudsen is that leader,” says Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod.
Ulrik V. Knudsen has more than 25 years of experience in international cooperation and a true global outlook. He has consistently demonstrated the ability to find solutions through compromise and to build fact-based consensus, while maintaining a commitment to delivering excellence and innovation.
The OECD is a key multilateral institution working to establish evidence-based international standards and find solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges. The OECD’s role in shaping international economic policy will be more critical than ever in light of COVID-19.
“We need a strong and ambitious OECD – a reliable and evidence-based pillar of multilateral cooperation – putting compromise over ideology, facts over rhetoric and analysis over presumption,” says Ulrik V. Knudsen.
Nominations for the post of Secretary-General of the OECD will close at the end of October, followed by interviews and consultations. Announcement of the new appointment is expected in early 2021.
Press opportunity //
Members of the press are invited to attend Minister for Foreign Affairs Jeppe Kofod’s official launch of Mr Ulrik V. Knudsen as Denmark’s candidate for Secretary-General of the OECD. The Foreign Minister and the Deputy Secretary-General will be available for questions from the press after the official launch.
Date & time: Wednesday 21 October 2020 at 16:30 hrs
Place: Eigtveds Pakhus, Asiatisk Plads 2G, Hall III
Please bring a valid press card.
About the OECD:
The OECD provides a forum and knowledge hub for data and analysis on topics including education, fighting international tax evasion, economic performance, industry and innovation. The OECD also facilitates the exchange of best practices and experiences, and advises on public priorities and international standard-setting.
The OECD comprises 37 Member countries in Europe, North America, Latin America and the Pacific. The work of the OECD also benefits over 100 developing and emerging countries.
Contacts
Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Press Office: pressevagten@um.dk
NordenBladet — President of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) Henn Põlluaas welcomed today’s judgment of the Supreme Court of Estonia, according to which the mandatory funded pension reform was not unconstitutional.
“With this judgment, the Supreme Court expressed its high appreciation for the quality of the work of the Parliament. The decision of the Supreme Court to declare the pension reform constitutional proves the excellent level of legislative drafting of the Riigikogu, especially considering the importance and complexity of the reform, and the emotional discussions that accompanied it,” Põlluaas said,
Põlluaas thinks that the judgement of the Supreme Court on constitutionality brought about final legal clarity. “This judgment deprived the accusations against the reform of their basis,” Põlluaas pointed out. “It is especially important that the people of Estonia could be sure that the legislative drafting activities conducted in the Parliament are in accordance with the Constitution.”
“The mandatory funded pension reform adopted by the Riigikogu takes into account and protects in the best way the interests of our working people and our people who receive pension,” the President of the Riigikogu added.
On 29 January this year, the Riigikogu passed the Act on Amendments to the Funded Pensions Act and Other Associated Acts (108 UA), which made joining the second pillar pension scheme and leaving it voluntary. 56 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of and 45 were against the Act, which was tied to a vote of confidence in the Government. The President twice refused to proclaim the Act, and contested it in the Supreme Court on the grounds of unconstitutionality of the reform.
NordenBladet —The Bill that passed the second reading will change the functions of the Place Names Board in the resolution of place name disputes.
Under the Bill on Amendments to the Place Names Act (186 SE), initiated by the Government, the Place Names Board will no longer resolve extra-judicial disputes over the establishment and use of place names, and the resolution of disputes will remain to the local authorities who make the decisions. The Place Names Board will advise local authorities and will give its weighted positions in name disputes where necessary. This way the name dispute process will be shorter and more effective and will take place on a correct basis and at the correct level.
The Bill will provide more clearly for the status of place name to preclude cases where a name is intended to give a named feature a legal status, that is, to change the regime of the rights and obligations of the named feature.
Amendments will also be made to the procedure for the establishment of the Place Names Board. In the future, the Minister of Public Administration will establish the statutes of the Place Names Board, and the number of the members of the Place Name Board will no longer be determined at the level of Act. At present, the Board may have 11-15 members.
The Bill will transfer the maintenance of the national place names register from the Ministry of Finance to the Land Board who is the authorised processor of the register at present. According to the Bill, the functions of the authorised processor of the register will be assigned to the information technology centre of the Ministry of the Environment. On the basis of that, in the future, the Minister of the Environment will also establish the statutes of the register.
During the second reading, an amendment was made to the Bill, according to which it will be prohibited to establish as commemorative names the names of the persons who have acted against the establishment of the Republic of Estonia, the maintenance of constitutional order or the restoration of Estonia’s independence. In the event of a conflict, the names authority will have to change the place name.
During the debate, Mihhail Stalnuhhin (Centre Party), Tarmo Kruusimäe (Isamaa), Viktor Vassiljev (Centre Party) and Aadu Must (Centre Party) took the floor.
NordenBladet —The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) starts discussions on the Arctic issues. In order to get background information for the discussions, the Committee decided to commission a study that would provide an overview of Estonia’s interests and opportunities in connection with global developments in the Arctic, and of Estonia’s readiness for cooperation with the countries of the Arctic region.
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Enn Eesmaa said that the aim of the study was to get the opinion of experts on several issues connected with the Arctic, like topics relating to economic activities, environmental changes, security, research and development and the situation of indigenous peoples. “The economic and environmental topics connected with the Arctic are becoming more and more important every day for many countries, and it is important to start thoroughly analysing Estonia’s possibilities to have a say in these issues,” he pointed out. “The resolution of the Government of the Republic to apply for the status of an observer state is an important step in shaping Estonia’s Arctic policy. The Foreign Affairs Committee wishes to contribute to it through its discussions,” Eesmaa added.
“Observer status in the Arctic Council would open a new door for Estonia to contribute to resolving the issues faced by a region that is attracting ever-increasing global attention,” Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Marko Mihkelson noted. “Participating in the work of the Council is a unique opportunity for the Estonian scientists, as well as for developing the possibilities and economic activities of our transport and logistics sector.”
“The possibility to enhance our allied relations is an important added value of the observer status. Thus, one of the purposes of the study is to get an overview of Estonia’s opportunities for cooperation in Arctic issues at the European Union level and in regional formats, as well as for bilateral cooperation with the member states and observer states of the Arctic Council,” Mihkelson added.
The Committee expects the study to be ready by spring 2021.
Earlier studies and public opinion polls commissioned by the Riigikogu are available on the Riigikogu website.
The Foreign Affairs Committee also discussed the Arctic issues at a video conference today, where representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave an overview on Estonia’s application for observer status in the Arctic Council.
NordenBladet – Most people who have visited Reykjavík are no doubt familiar with the Mál og Menning book store, at Laugavegur 18. On Friday, it was announced that the store has been permanently closed. “The day Laugavegur became a pedestrian street, our sales plummeted,” Arndís Björg Sigurgeirsdóttir, co-owner of the store, tells mbl.is .
Mál og Menning book store was operated for 59 years. Seven years ago, Arndís and her wife Bára Kristinsdóttir took over the business. They closed the store temporarily May 28 and had intended to reopen in November, but the plans have changed – both as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and because this part of Laugavegur has become a pedestrian zone.
“Things went really well until 2017,” Arndís states, but that’s when street closures and projects began affecting the business. Project after project called for the temporary closure of streets: “Hverfisgata was closed, half of Lækjargata, Snorrabraut was closed, in addition to side streets,” she states.
Sales diminished by up to 30 percent during the last three years. “We, the merchants on Laugavegur, had been expecting to finally recover, and that’s when COVID-19 came along, which no one could control.”
Still, Arndís stresses that the pandemic is not the main reason for the closure: “The reason Mál og Menning did not survive this summer was the street closures,” she states.
Plans are for a bar to open where the book store was located. It will carry the same name as the book store. “That’s sad,” Arndís laments, “because such a bar could just as well be located elsewhere than precisely here.”
The book store is among the buildings featured in the video “Deserted Buildings on Laugavegur.”
NordenBladet – The UN Secretary General António Guterres is to meet with the Nordic Council on 27 October and share his thoughts on the COVID-19 crisis. The Nordic prime ministers and heads of government will also join in the online meeting, which will be about the pandemic from both a Nordic and a global perspective. The event will be streamed live online.
The meeting with António Guterres forms part of Session Week 2020, a series of events at the time the Nordic Council would normally have held its annual Session. Due to the pandemic, the actual gathering has had to be postponed this year and all meetings will be online.
The theme of the meeting with the UN Secretary General will be the COVID-19 crisis and the challenges the pandemic poses for the global community. Guterres will make a speech Outlining his perspective on the pandemic, after which the Nordic Council party groups will have the opportunity to pose questions directly to him.
Crises call for co-operation
The President of the Nordic Council, Silja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir, Is looking forward to the meeting with the UN Secretary General.
“We will bid the UN Secretary General a warm welcome to the Nordic Council Session Week. It will be absolutely fascinating to hear what António Guterres has to say about International efforts to combat COVID-19. It is not a war that any of us can win on our own. We all need to work together, both at Nordic and global level. We want the United Nations to play a leading role in international crises. The Nordic Region is a great supporter of the international rule of law and a strong UN,” the President says.
António Guterres has been invited to take part in the Nordic Council Session Week 2020 to mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. The invitation was extended by Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the Prime Minister of Iceland, and Silja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir, and the President of the Nordic Council. Iceland holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council this year.
Watch the livestream
During the one-and-a-half–hour meeting, the Nordic Council, prime ministers and heads of government will also debate COVID-19 from a Nordic perspective. It will be the first time that Nordic MPs and prime ministers have debated the pandemic together.
The Nordic countries have chosen different strategies to combat the pandemic, which has led to phenomena such as border controls and restrictions on freedom of movement in the Nordic Region, a freedom that lies at the very heart of Nordic co-operation.
The whole meeting will be streamed live on norden.org, 18:00–19:30 (CET), Tuesday 27 October.
The public and media are welcome to follow the meeting online. If you have any questions, please e-mail Matts Lindqvist at matlin@norden.org or call him on +45 2969 2905.
The Nordic Council is the official body for Nordic inter-parliamentary co-operation. It has 87 members from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland.
NordenBladet – On 27 October, the Nordic Council will award its annual prizes during a TV special broadcast throughout the Nordic Region. COVID-19 may have put a stopper to the traditional ceremony on Iceland, but the winners of the five prizes will be revealed at an online ceremony instead. The President of Iceland, Guðni Thorlacious Jóhannesson, the novelist and artist Zinat Pirzadeh and the director and former prize winner Benedikt Erlingsson will be among those presenting the prizes.
Every year, the Nordic Council awards five prizes in recognition of Nordic literature, languages, music, and film, as well as innovative thinking in the field of the environment. The Icelandic delegation to the Nordic Council is hosting a somewhat different ceremony this year.
“COVID-19 forced us into a rethink, and the winners will be announced during a TV special. I am delighted that we will be able to welcome the whole of the Nordic Region to this special event and that we can all pay tribute to the nominees from the safety of our homes. These unique artists and driving forces in their fields are more than important than ever at a time when culture and the climate figure so prominently on the political agenda,” says the President of the Nordic Council, Silja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir.
Outstanding efforts in the fields of culture and the environment
The 51 works, initiatives, and artists nominated for the five Nordic Council prizes in 2020 include novels, short stories, picture books, and poetry collections, dramas and a documentary, a pop album, a film score and symphonies, a beekeeper and a climate scientist. Each of the five winners will receive a Northern Lights statuette and DKK 350,000.
The awards will be made from the home or another of the presenter’s favourite places:
– The Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize 2020 will be presented by the President of Iceland, Guðni Thorlacious Jóhannesson
– The Nordic Council Music Prize 2020 will be presented by the multi-instrumentalist and former winner Gyða Valtýsdóttir
– The Nordic Council Environment Prize 2020 will be presented by the Kira Lennert Olsen and Nuiana Hardenberg
– The Nordic Council Film Prize 2020 will be presented by the director and former winner Benedikt Erlingsson
– The Nordic Council Literature Prize 2020 will be presented by the comedian and artist Zinat Pirzadeh.
From the comfort of your home
The Icelandic host Halla Oddný Magnúsdóttir will present the TV special, treating viewers to performances by Iceland Dance Company, the internationally renowned pianist Víkingur Ólafsson and the indie band Of Monsters and Men.
“With everything that is going on at the moment, we wanted to make the ceremony more personal this year. We will visit people in their homes, or at other places where they feel at home, and take a peek at the artists in rehearsals or in their day-to-day lives. We hope the show will bring the Nordic countries together for the evening and remind us all that our culture and environment are what make us human and bind us together,” says Rúnar Freyr Gíslason, the RÚV TV producer.
See the award ceremony on TV or on the internet on 27 October
The award ceremony will start at 21:05 (CET) on 27 October, and the programme is being produced in collaboration with the Icelandic public service broadcaster RÚV. Viewers can catch it as a live stream or on TV in all of the Nordic countries. See your national TV listings for details. The link for the stream will appear on norden.org.
About the Nordic Council prizes
The Nordic Council prizes are among the most prestigious in the region and attract considerable international attention. The Literature Prize is the oldest of the five. It was first awarded in 1962 and has since been followed by the Music Prize, the Environment Prize, the Film Prize and the Children and Young People’s Literature Prize. Five adjudication committees select the nominees and the winner.
Featured image: The Icelandic host, Halla Oddný Magnúsdóttir, with the pianist Víkingur Ólafsson in the background during recordings for the annual award ceremony for the Nordic Council prizes. Photographer (RÚV TV)
NordenBladet – Today the Nordic Council of Ministers for the Environment and Climate are publishing a new report on possible approaches to a new global agreement to prevent plastic pollution. Join the virtual launch that brings together leaders from across the globe to discuss what such a new global agreement could include to be an effective tool.
The Nordic ministers have supported the global policy discussion on stronger global commitments to eliminate plastic litter in the oceans since 2016 by providing support to reports, assessments and to the intergovernmental process established by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). This report is a contribution from the Nordic countries to inform discussions about a new agreement.
No one-size-fits-all
Mismanaged plastic waste ending up in the environment and the ocean is a growing environmental challenge of global concerns. Large quantities of plastics is found in our oceans, air, soil and freshwater resources and is threat to our marine ecosystem.
In 2017, the United Nations Environment Assembly agreed to the long-term vision to eliminate all discharge of plastic litter into the ocean. Reports to the UN have demonstrated fundamental gaps in the existing international legal and policy frameworks, rendering them ill-equipped to eliminate this problem. The Nordic Ministers agree that a new global agreement is the most effective measure to stop the global leakage of plastic into the environment.
“There is not one-size-fits-all approach to multilateral environment agreements. Therefore, I am glad to see this report lay out a number of possible opportunities for us to explore further” says Norwegian Minister Sveinung Rotevatn, also President of the 5th United Nations Environment Assembly. “The UN system is a good home for such agreements.”
Following their Ministerial meeting in April 2019 in Reykjavik, the Nordic Ministers issued a strong call for a new global agreement to reduce the environmental impact of plastic litter entering our oceans. The Ministers also decided to commission a report to consider what such an agreement could entail. The report, written by Dr. Karen Raubenheimer and Niko Urho is launched Monday October 19th, through a dedicated online event hosted by the Nordic Ministers.
It is the Nordic aim that this report will inform the global policy discussions on a new global agreement. The Nordic countries supports a negotiation mandate towards a new global agreement to be adopted by the United Nations at the next possible opportunity.
NordenBladet – Seven paintings from the series “His Highness Mouse the First” have been completed along with the blog posts on ElishevaShoshana.com website. Today I created three blog posts at a time about the paintings that were already completed but not yet added to the blog. Every time that I finalize a painting I also create a blog post, saying a few words about the painting and sharing some pictures about the painting process and the ultimate result, so that it would be good to see and remember for myself as well as others when time passes.
In spring this year I took part in a contest held by ERM (Estonian National Museum) and in September found out that our idea “Our Domestic Witch Kitchen” had won Estonian National Museum’s “Own Exhibition” idea contest and now we get to have and use our individual space in ERM participation hall (130m2!). The news of winning released a stream of inspiration in me and the first idea that sprang from that was “His Highness Mouse the First”. The initial idea was to create 12 fairytale style mouse paintings and build a little “child’s world” around it – to compile a fairy tale book for the youngest. In the working process the idea and the ambition have expanded – in place of 12 mouse-series paintings I fancy completing at least 36 paintings, I’ve thought perhaps a 12-illustration children’s book may turn out too “pale” and slim. Currently there are 7 portrait-type acrylic paintings (with measures 30X40cm) ready and in my mind I already have the fairy tale, too. Initially I signed my paintings and then again thought that I’d proceed by first scanning and uploading them and then only later sign the paintings, because I wouldn’t want the children’s book’s each and every illustration to have my name on it. On the first paintings it would be necessary after the scanning and uploading the painting to photoshop the name out.
In ERM there are currently several fairy-tales related cool exhibitions – for example “Siima Škop 100”, where one can see the legendary book illustrator and poster artist Siima Škop’s original drawings and the fairy-tale world exhibition created by artist-curator Katrin Sipelgas, named “Once upon a time…“. Being a great fairy-tale fan myself I have visited both exhibitions many times and I feel that “Our Domestic Witch Kitchen” is going to be a smooth continuation to the previous exhibitions – especially now that by the time of opening the exhibition there is a plan to launch the children’s book as well, along with my own illustrations to the book.
But here… tam tara ram tam tam tam tam tam tam ta… the seven first paintings!! 🙂
Photos: NordenBladet / Helena-Reet Ennet
Read more about each painting by clicking on the links to blog posts below:
