SOCIETY / BUSINESS

Let us celebrate Nordic Day together!

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — Nordic Day is celebrated on 23 March in all the Nordic countries and Åland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland in honour of the fundamental treaty of Nordic cooperation, which was named after Helsinki and was signed on 23 March 1962. It defines the duties and composition of the Nordic Council and Nordic Council of Ministers and, in general, the main areas and methods of Nordic cooperation.

2021 is the 50th jubilee year of the Nordic Council of Ministers and Finland acts as the Councils’ chair. Due to the current situation, this year’s Nordic Day will be celebrated in several virtual events. The day is also marked with flying flags, decoratively illuminated buildings and a visibility campaign on public transport. The City of Helsinki will fly a flag in three locations: City Hall, Finlandia Hall and Railway Square. The Little Parliament annex of the Parliament House will also be decorated with Nordic flags. The Government Palace will be illuminated with the colours of the Nordic flags.

The public transport campaign will be visible on the sides of Helsinki trams and on the digital screens on trams and metro carriages. The campaign will also be visible in the cityscapes of Oulu, Kuopio, Tampere and Turku.

Virtual Nordic Day events
Thomas Blomqvist, the minister in charge of Nordic cooperation, will speak in five different events during the day.

Nordic Culture Point, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the Nordic cooperation secretariat of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will hold from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. a virtual discussion examining online behaviour and equality issues:  Hur kan de nordiska länderna skapa trygghet på nätet

Norden Secretariat’s event series on Nordic Day
The 50th jubilee year of the Nordic Council of Ministers will be celebrated on Nordic Day on 23 March with five themed discussions. The Copenhagen Norden Secretariat will compile a series of events which will be streamed, one by one, in different Nordic capitals. The discussions will examine the current Nordic issues highlighted during Finland’s chairmanship. These relate to the themes of equality, border barriers, circular economy, freedom of expression and culture.

All five Nordic Day events
Nordic Day events in different languages:
Norden Pohjolan päivä fi
Norden Nordens dag sv
Norden Nordic Day en
#Nordensdag #Norden2021

Highlights of Virtual Nordic Day events
Arcada, Folkhälsan, Högskolan på Åland och Prakticum will organise: Hur klarar det nordiska välfärdssamhället coronakrisen?

Pohjola-Norden will hold a webinar called Pohjoismaat, yhdessä – Norden, tillsammans (Nordic countries, together) from 4 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.

Links to all Pohjola-Norden events in the Nordic week are available here. Nordic Welfare Centre NVC will organise an online event on the participation of disabled children and young people Participation for Children and Young People with Disabilities in the Nordic Region.The Norders business event, organised by Norders Creative Community    Finland’s presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers 2021

 

Denmark: Queen Margrethe and Crown Prince Frederik conduct Denmark’s first-ever digital Council of State

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – On Tuesday, history was written in Denmark when Queen Margrethe conducted the Council of State digitally for the first time. From the Council of State Hall at Christiansborg Palace in downtown Copenhagen, the Queen conducted the meeting Tuesday morning. At her side was Crown Prince Frederik. As in Norway and Sweden, it is also common in Denmark that the heir to the throne is a regular participant in the Council of State.

At Tuesday’s Council of State, more than 250 cases and 52 new laws were processed. The Danish Royal Court shared photos from the historic session on Facebook and Instagram, showing mother and son while talking to the Danish government via a large screen. Crown Prince Frederik brought his iPad with him while Queen Margrethe took her notes by hand.

Many people noticed a particular photo that was shared on Instagram. The picture showed Queen Margrethe’s writing tools which consisted of a writing set in silver and a red book marked “Council of State”. The last thing in the picture is a fairly ordinary, green marker, which, according to the Danish press, is supposed to be the Danish queen’s favourite writing tool. This fairly common pen is only used in work contexts. If the Queen is out on a public visit and will write in a guest book, she always has a gold ballpoint pen with her.

The Council of State is made up of all ministers in the government and is the government’s body where all laws and important government measures are dealt with. The main content of the meetings is to ratify the bills passed by the Parliament, as well as to present the bills to the Queen that the government intends to present in the future. Denmark is a bit late compared to the other Scandinavian monarchies. King Harald of Norway and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden have both carried out digital Council of State meetings through large parts of the pandemic.

Photos: Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset

Faroe Islands: Faroese labor force remains Europe’s most active

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – With more than 84 percent of the nation’s working-age population part of the labor force, the population of the Faroe Islands still has the highest activity rate in Europe. According to a recent labor force survey published by Statistics Faroe Islands, the activity rate in the island nation is measured at 84.3 percent averaged over both sexes, or 86.1 pc. for men and 82.4 pc. for women.

The international measurement of the labor force in percentage of the working-age population counts the section of the population aged between 15 and 74 who are capable of participating in work, Statistics Faroe Islands noted.

“This is the highest activity rate in Europe, and this applies to men, women, young and old alike,” the government agency said in a statement.

The Faroese labor force has increased by just over 2,000 people in the past five years, spread evenly across the two genders, with the labor force also slightly increasing in 2020.

These are some of the key findings of the labour force survey conducted by Statistics Faroe Islands in November 2020. A detailed report with analysed figures can be found in the Statbank, the online statistical resource provided by the agency.

According the survey, the Vágar region has the highest activity rate for men, at 89 percent, and Sandoy the lowest, at 75 pc. For women, the Suðurstreymur and Norðstreymur regions have the highest activity rate, at 84 pc., and Sandoy the lowest, at 78 pc.

“In comparison, the average activity rate in Denmark and the United Kingdom is approximately 70 percent,” Statics Faroes said.

“As previous labor force surveys have also shown, the Faroe Islands are again confirmed to have the biggest labor force in Europe relative to the population. Only Iceland comes close in this respect.”

Included in the labor force are all employed individuals, including employees, independent traders, employers, unemployed people available for work and individuals who carry out unpaid work for family businesses. Not included in the labor force are young full-time students, people unavailable for work due to disease or reduced ability and people who have left the labor market due to age or other limitations. In statistical terms, these groups are classified as being part of the inactive population.

The chart below, compiled by Eurostat, compares the Faroe Islands with 35 other European nations.

With an 84-percent activity rate averaged over both sexes, the Faroe Islands are in the lead, followed by Iceland, at 81 pc., Switzerland at 76 pc., and Sweden at 74 pc.

Whereas the average activity rate for the 27 EU member nations (excluding the UK) is 64 pc., the European nations with the lowest activity rate are Turkey and Italy, at 53 pc. and 56 pc. respectively.

For men, the Faroe Islands lead the way with an activity rate of 86 pc., followed by Iceland at 85 pc. In Denmark, the corresponding figure is 74 pc. The EU average is 70 pc., with the lowest activity rate for men in Croatia, Belgium, France and Italy, all within the 64-66 pc. range.

At 82 pc., Faroese women have by far the highest activity rate in Europe, with Iceland taking second place at 77 pc. Denmark’s activity rate for women is at 66 pc., compared with an EU average of 58 pc. Turkish women have the lowest activity rate at 34 pc., followed by Italy’s 47 pc.

In all countries except for the Faroe Islands, the activity rates for women are significantly lower compared to men. In the Faroe Islands, the difference is only 4 pc. In Iceland and Denmark, it’s 8 pc., and the average difference in the EU is 12 pc. By far the greatest activity rate difference between the two sexes is in Turkey, with 72 pc. for men and 34 pc. for women.

Sweden: Princess Birgitta of Sweden and Hohenzollern returns to Spain

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, Princess Birgitta has stayed in Sweden. Princess Birgitta of Sweden and Hohenzollern, the second oldest sister of the Swedish monarch King Carl XVI Gustaf, was prevented from going home to Spain. In an interview with the Swedish magazine Svensk Damtidning, the Swedish and German princess confirmed that she returned to Spain.

For almost a year, the Swedish princess was unable to return to her Spanish home because of the coronavirus epidemic raging in Europe and the world. Over the last 30 years, the sister of Sweden’s King has been living on the Spanish island of Mallorca. However, because COVID-19 has impacted Spain so hard, the 83-year-old Princess stayed with her Swedish family in Sweden.

When the Princess came to Sweden in March of last year, she said she was glad to be back in Sweden. Princess Birgitta remarked to the newspaper that she has appreciated the time with her brother and sister-in-law. She stated: “Obviously, it has been very nice. I have seen a lot of Sweden. It is very gratifying because I have been away from Sweden for almost 60 years, so that was very positive.”

Her Royal Highness described the uncertainty on when she can return home as “horrible” to the Swedish newspaper Expressen. When COVID-19 broke out in Sweden, the Princess travelled to Sweden. Since then, she then lived for almost a year with her brother, the King, and his family at Stenhammar Palace. She has visited her son in Germany several times, but now she has travelled back to her home in Spain.

In her normal life, Princess Birgitta lives a social life with a lot of socialising, restaurant visits and nice events. Now all that is on hold, and the Princess spends the majority of her time at home. Fortunately, she still gets to play golf daily. Princess Birgitta said: “I am not the one who worries unnecessarily, but it is a serious situation, and we must comply with it. Nevertheless, I am basically a positive person and believe that we will ride out this storm.”

Featured image: Frankie Fouganthin – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Finland: Restrictions on entry into Finland extended until 17 April

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet — On 11 March, the Government decided to extend the restrictions on entry into the country until 17 April 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread, and there are no adequate measures available yet to replace the restrictions. For this reason, and to curb the spread of COVID-19 variants, both internal border controls and restrictions on external border traffic will continue. Only minor changes were made to the decisions taken on 18 February. The changes will enter into force on 19 March 2021.

Finland will also continue to provide assistance to its neighbour Estonia. In accordance with the current operating procedure, the Gulf of Finland Coast Guard District has informed passengers at the Port of Tallinn about the conditions for entry since September 2020. The aim is to ensure that passengers will not be turned away at the Finnish border. For example, a holiday or work other than tasks that are considered essential from the perspective of security of supply or the functioning of society does not entitle travellers to enter the country even if they have a negative COVID-19 test certificate.

Finland restricts entry from all other Schengen countries except Iceland
Internal border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and other Schengen countries. Finland continues to restrict entry from all other Schengen countries except Iceland. The Schengen countries are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden, which are EU Member States, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, which are non-EU countries.

Minor changes to restrictions on external border traffic
External border traffic refers to traffic between Finland and non-Schengen third countries. Restrictions have already been lifted earlier for traffic arriving in Finland from the Vatican, and for traffic between Finland and Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand and New Zealand for residents of these countries. Restrictions will now be lifted for traffic arriving in Finland from Rwanda for residents of Rwanda.

Restrictions on opening hours of border crossing points
The opening hours of certain border crossing points at the western border in Lapland and the eastern border will be restricted. The aim of these changes is to concentrate cross-border traffic mainly to daytime and evening hours. This will ensure that the health authorities have sufficient resources at the border. The objective is to guide all people crossing the Finnish border to a COVID-19 test, unless they can present proof of a sufficiently recent negative COVID-19 test or proof of recovery from COVID-19. The limited opening hours do not apply to goods transport or to necessary passenger traffic with a justified reason to cross the border outside the opening hours.

After an amendment to the decision of 18 February 2021, the opening hours of the border crossing points of Ylitornio and Vartius will also be restricted in order to ensure health security.

Government still recommends avoiding unnecessary travel abroad
Under the Constitution of Finland, Finnish citizens and residents of Finland always have the right to return to Finland, and everyone has the right to leave Finland if they so wish, provided that there is no legal impediment to this. However, the Government still recommends avoiding unnecessary travel to other countries, except for countries for which the restrictions on entry have been lifted. Travellers must be aware of the current entry and quarantine regulations of their country of destination.For more detailed information on the restrictions on internal and external border traffic, see the Border Guard website and the press releases published on 22 January, 11 February and 18 February by the Ministry of the Interior.

Kuva: NordenBladet
Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

Denmark: Prince Felix of Denmark set to begin military education in August

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – His Highness Prince Felix of Denmark (18), Count of Monpezat and grandchild of Queen Margrethe, has been admitted to one of the country’s prestigious military education camps. According to Danish magazine Billed Bladet, Prince Felix will begin the Army’s two-year sergeant training in the military camp in Varde when the Prince has finished high school this summer and has received his exam results. The military sergeant training in Varde is a well-respected and tough education and there are strict admission requirements, both in terms of physical and mental strength.

The prince has decided that after his exams he will follow in the footsteps of his father, Prince Joachim, and begin his sergeant training. Prince Joachim has a very solid military education and is currently ranked as brigadier general. At the moment he works as the defence attaché for Denmark at their embassy in Paris. Prince Felix is currently a student at Gammel Hellerup Gymnasium until the summer. The Danish prince will turn 19 in July and is scheduled to begin his military education in August.

This is the same military training that his older brother, Prince Nikolai, dropped out of after only two months in the camp. It was officially confirmed by the Danish Royal House’s Head of Communications, in October 2018 that Prince Nikolai of Denmark has given up of his two-year military training at the Royal Danish Army’s Sergeant School. Prince Nikolai left the military at his own wishes and had the full support of his parents, Prince Joachim of Denmark and Countess Alexandra of Frederiksborg.

According to a statement issued by Countess Alexandra’s Private Secretary, Prince Nikolai left his military education, not because of the people there or training itself, but because he felt that it was not right for him to have a career in the military. His mother’s Private Secretary also said that the Prince would continue to pursue his modelling career. The following year, in 2019, the prince also began studying for a bachelor’s degree at Copenhagen Business School. There he studies Business Administration and Service Management.

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Prince Felix of Denmark (Felix Henrik Valdemar Christian; born 22 July 2002) is a member of the Danish royal family. He is the younger son of Prince Joachim and his first wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg. Prince Felix is currently eighth in the line of succession to the Danish throne.

Prince Felix was born at Rigshospitalet the Copenhagen University Hospital in Copenhagen on 22 July 2002. When his father met the press following the birth, he joked that the baby could be named anything from Ib to Nebuchadnezzar.

He was christened in Møgeltønder Church in Møgeltønder on 4 October 2002 by the royal vicar Christian Thodberg. His names were revealed to be Felix Henrik Valdemar Christian. His godparents are Martina Bent (maternal aunt); and friends of his parents: Count Christian Ahlefeldt-Laurvig, Oscar Davidsen Siesbye, Damian Sibley and Annick Boel. At the christening the musical work Dåbens Pagt composed by Frederik Magle, dedicated to Prince Felix, was given its first performance.

After their divorce, Prince Joachim and Alexandra had joint custody of Prince Felix and his older brother Prince Nikolai.

Felix attended pre-school at the Garnison Church in Copenhagen, and at age six, followed in the footsteps of his father, brother and uncle at Krebs School in Østerbro.

Felix is styled as “His Highness Prince Felix of Denmark, Count of Monpezat”. He has been Prince of Denmark since birth and Count of Monpezat since 29 April 2008, when Queen Margrethe granted the title to her male-line descendants.

Featured image: Steen Brogaard/Kongehuset

Norway: Crown Princess Mette-Marit launches digital literature-train

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has launched this year’s literature-train in a story on Instagram that was published earlier this week. This year’s literature-train will run as a digital event that will take place through four conservations with some of the Crown Princess’ favourite authors.

Her Royal Highness published the following message: “Hi, dear all. On Thursday, this year’s literature train starts here on Instagram. I have brought with me some of the authors that I should have had with me on last year’s train, which of course did not happen due to the coronavirus. Then on Thursday at 7 PM, I will talk to Alf van der Hagen. He mostly writes books about other people. I am really looking forward to it and hope you feel like joining and listening to the first of a total of four conversations I will have with authors that I greatly appreciate. You are most welcome to join.”

The Norwegian Crown Princess is very interested in literature and books. She wants to share her joy of reading and to spread the power of good literature through her personal conviction that there is a book for everyone. Over time, Crown Princess Mette-Marit has participated in a number of literary events. In 2017, the Crown Princess took on the role of ambassador for Norwegian literature abroad.

In the Crown Princess’ literary agenda, however, there is one event that holds a special position: the Literature Train. In recent years, the Crown Princess has embarked on a literary train journey every spring, with events at libraries and literature houses along the way. The main goal of Crown Princess Mette-Marit`s “literature-train” is to reach a wider range of the population to increase awareness and enjoyment of literature.

In 2019, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit chose to switch her annual “literature train” to a more urban “literature metro”. Instead of using some of Norway’s long and remote train lines to promote literature to young people, she used the metro-system in Oslo city to reach young people with her message. In addition, that year, for the first time, the Crown Princess’ literature train went abroad. With a course for the book fair in Frankfurt, the train started in Berlin and ended in Frankfurt.

Featured image: Det Norske Kongehus Instagram Still/ Fair Use

Iceland: Mountaineer John Snorri Sigurjónsson and his companions presumed dead

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – Mountaineers John Snorri Sigurjónsson, from Iceland, Muhammad Ali Sadpara, from Pakistan, and Juan Pablo Mohr Prieto, from Chile, who have been missing on K2 since February 5, are believed to have died on the mountain, mbl.is reports, quoting AFP.

K2 is the world’s second highest mountain, located on the border of China and Pakistan. It is considered one of the world’s most dangerous mountains for climbers. An extensive search effort has proven unsuccessful.

“All the weather experts, climbers and experts from the Pakistan army have reached the conclusion that a human being cannot live for that long in such harsh weather,” Raja Nasir Ali Khan, provincial minister for tourism in Gilgit-Baltistan, where K2 is located, stated. “That’s why we are announcing that they are no more.”

He added that search for the bodies would continue.

Featured image: Muhammad Ali Sa­dp­ara, left, and John Snorri Sigurjónsson on K2 before they went missing. From the Facebook page of John Snorri

Denmark: Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine have fun in the snow to support the Royal Run

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – The Crown Prince of Denmark had some help announcing the Royal Run’s new date, sharing the spotlight with his two youngest children, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.

In a video shared on the Danish Royal House website and social media channels, Crown Prince Frederik and his twin children announced the new fall date for the Royal Run, which has been twice-postponed due to the coronavirus.

In the video, Crown Prince Frederik stated: “For almost a year, it has been a condition for all of us that we have had to change our plans and our dreams. This has also been the case for the Royal Run. Twice before we have postponed the race and we must once again admit that it is not is realistic to complete the planned exercise party with over 70,000 people in the month of May, so it has been decided to postpone the Royal Run once again until Sunday 12 September, where we hope that it is again possible to gather so many people for a running party.”

Interspersed with Crown Prince Frederik’s announcement is footage of the trio running around the snow-covered grounds of Fredensborg Palace, where they’re currently residing, training for this fall’s race.

In a statement posted on the Danish Royal House’s website, Crown Prince Frederick elaborated, “In the meantime, we need to make sure to keep body and soul going. Especially right now in the dark period – it provides profit and well-being.

“So I hope that many of you will spend the time until September 12th to maintain the joy of exercise and running that Royal Run has already brought with it.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKyEbRCAMDT/

Featured picture: Kongehuset

Iceland: Screaming Tourists Campaign receives Digiday Award

By
Helena-Reet Ennet
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NordenBladet – The marketing campaign Let it Out, released by Inspired Iceland last summer, received a Digiday Award January 28 for the best creative campaign/program, mbl.is reports.

M&C Saatchi & Peel wrote the script for the campaign and did the creative work, while the production company Skot handled filming and production. The campaign was directed by Samúel Bjarki Pétursson and Gunnar Páll Ólafsson, and the score was composed by Úlfur Eldjárn.

The Digiday Content Marketing Awards annually recognize the companies and campaigns using content to modernize media and marketing.

Promote Iceland released the campaign in July of last year to engage people most likely to travel as soon as the lockdowns, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were lifted. Prospective tourists were offered a chance to release COVID-related stress by recording their screams on a phone or computer and, through a web camera, listen to them in Icelandic landscape at different locations.

“Understanding audience sentiment is critical to getting the right message across,” the selection committee’s statement reads, “and there was never a more sensitive time to ensure context and positive alignment than during the sweeping changes of the pandemic. With lives upended and economies in turmoil, Promote Iceland first analyzed its cohorts carefully and then tapped an emotional and creative vein while mitigating the risk of striking a wrong chord with people not yet ready to think about travel.”

You can watch the video HERE.

The second part of the campaign is underway, where you’re invited to ‘joyscroll’ 22.7 meters of uplifting material from Iceland. See for yourself HERE.

Featured imgage: From the video. Screenshot/Promote Iceland. 

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