In Focus: Iceland and the Arctic

By

-

December 5, 2019

NordenBladet – There are a few different definitions of what constitutes the Arctic, but it can essentially be defined as the area surrounding the North Pole. This northernmost part of the planet is home to about 4 million people, about 10% of whom are indigenous. It is the most sparsely populated area of the earth. The territories of eight countries lie within the region: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Russia, Canada, the US, and Iceland. The Arctic Ocean and surrounding waters cover about one third of the region’s area, making fishing and waterways some of its most important resources.

Climate change and changes in international relations have put a spotlight on the Arctic in recent years. In the spring of 2019, Iceland started its two-year chairmanship of the Arctic Council, emphasising the importance of stability, sustainability, and co-operation in the area, and the intention to find ways to tackle its challenges, most notably climate change. A few months later, US President Donald Trump had a different kind of co-operation in mind when he tweeted about purchasing Greenland. The diplomatic kerfuffle than ensued proves relations in the Arctic are anything but simple.

Iceland in particular has also seen increased interest from foreign powers. Russian bombers were spotted entering NATO airspace near Iceland twice this March. While Icelandic-Russian diplomatic ties are stiffer than they have been for a long time (due not only to the military activity but also sanctions over Russia’s indexation of Crimea), just this year, Iceland has received a visit from both US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Vice President Mike Pence. Iceland has also gauged increased interest from China, not just as a tourism destination but also as an investment possibility. In light of US, Russian, end even Chinese interest in the Arctic, we’ll be taking a closer look at how international politics might affect the future of Arctic communities.

Cooperation without borders

The Arctic Council was founded in 1996. It consists of emissaries from the eight countries that make up the arctic landmass, as well as indigenous residents’ organisations. According to their website, the council is the leading intergovernmental forum promoting co-operation, co-ordination and interaction among the Arctic states, Arctic indigenous communities, and other inhabitants of the Arctic on common issues, in particular sustainable development and environmental protection. While the Nordic countries have a long history of cultural exchange and co-operation, the same cannot be said for the US and Russia. The result is that while the Arctic Council is the most important international council on Arctic issues, certain matters are completely off the table, including fisheries and defence.

Chairmanship of the council is shared between its member countries. Each country holds the chairmanship for two years, after which it moves to the next. Iceland assumed the chairmanship in spring of 2019 and declared its goals to be to continue the co-operation, sustainability, and stability of the area.

For over two decades, the Arctic Council has been the scene of highly important negotiations that make extremely dull headlines: the drafting of regulations and making of deals necessary to ensure the prospects of the area. One example is the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants or the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Now international interest in the area is increasing, but that’s not necessarily in the best interest of the people who inhabit the area. To put it bluntly, the Arctic is too important, ecologically speaking, to become a monetary or a military bone of contention between powerful nations.

While Russia has long been poised as the yin to the US’s yang in international politics, Russia’s interest and activity in the north Atlantic has long been a known quantity. China’s interest is newer, and if US Vice President’s Pence’s Iceland visit is anything to go by, it’s more of a concern to the US than their old foes in Moscow. Pence remarked on the occasion that the US was happy with Iceland’s decision to decline participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, a Chinese infrastructure investment project. In fact, both Iceland’s Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign affairs corrected the vice president as Iceland hasn’t made any decision to either participate or decline as yet. Pence also warned Icelanders not to accept the technology of the Chinese company Huawei, but there has been speculation that both of these comments were made for Chinese ears, rather than Icelandic ones.

Iceland. Photo: Pexels/Valdemaras D.

Climate change

For centuries, the Arctic has been of little international consequence. As climate change continues to ravage the planet, however, the region is warming up. Three hundred billion tonnes of ice melted off the Greenland glacier this summer. The continuous melting of this freshwater is changing the makeup of the Arctic Ocean. Ocean acidification is wreaking havoc on underwater ecosystems. Aside from the effect this has on the global ecosystem, melting ice and receding glaciers are revealing hitherto unreachable land and waters, making the ears of investors, entrepreneurs, and politicians all over the world perk up.

Climate change is one of Iceland’s stated focuses in its leadership of the Arctic Council, but it’s difficult to find a local solution to a global problem. As Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, former president of Iceland, put it, “The future of the Arctic is decided in other parts of the world, on other continents. The way we use energy; pollution; increased carbon dioxide release; will have uncontrollable consequences for the future of the Arctic.”

While Iceland’s intentions may be to prioritise action on climate change, international politics are once again interfering. Last spring, the Council didn’t release a joint statement as is usual, because the US Secretary of State wouldn’t sign a statement which mentioned climate change.

Opportunities and interest

Recently, a vessel owned by Russian gas company Novatek sailed the northeast route from Russia to China in record time. The voyage took 16 days, and no icebreakers were needed to clear the way. According to Novatek, the northeast route takes less than half the time it takes to sail west through the Suez Canal. Indeed, Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarsson has stated that the effects of the opening of sailing routes through the Arctic are comparable to those of the Suez and Panama Canals when they first went into operation.

In light of that comparison, it’s obvious that control of Arctic waterways could become extremely lucrative. In Iceland, some investors are already thinking to the future. A planned container port in remote Finnafjörður fjord is expected to connect Asia, Europe, and the US. The project has been heavily criticised by environmentalists.

In addition to new trading routes, Arctic resources such as fish stocks are changing with the climate. For some stocks this means less fish, but in other cases, fish species that tend to live further south are migrating north as the water heats up. As the Greenland glacier and sea ice in the Arctic melt, access to oil drilling and mining opportunities becomes easier and therefore more profitable. While it might seem callous to consider business opportunities as climate change ravages the area, this is an important issue for the people of the Arctic, the least populated area in the world. Iceland doesn’t have an army, instead relying on defence co-operation and diplomatic negotiations for safety. If the global superpowers’ struggle for economic influence in the area intensifies, that could spell trouble for a small nation that relies on soft power.

National security

Minister for Foreign Affairs Guðlaugur Þór has stated that “It’s evident that there’s increased interest and emphasis on the Arctic and the Arctic Ocean from the superpowers, as well as others. […] There hasn’t been much military development in the area. And we want to make sure it stays that way.”

But that might prove more difficult than anticipated. Iceland is a founding member of NATO, and the US military has long had a base on the Reykjanes peninsula. Recently, increased US spending in the base’s renovation have caused a stir, and Vice President Pence emphasised the importance of the defence agreement during his visit to Iceland recently. Iceland’s continued defence cooperation with the US and NATO has always muddied the waters and increased defence costs and military exercises in Iceland has roused strong opposition. Increased military activity by Russia in the area might be one of the reasons why the US are fortifying their position, as ever since the Cold War, Iceland has been in a strategically important spot between the two countries.

Historian Sumarliði Ísleifsson has stated that increased interest is not necessarily in the best interest of the people of the Arctic. According to Sumarliði, the Icelandic government should speak clearly of their intent to keep the Arctic peaceful. Military exercises should have no place here, and Iceland should do its best to avoid getting dragged into an arms race. He told Iceland’s national broadcaster RÚV, “The more low-key the politics in the area are, the better.” Eiríkur Bergmann, professor of political science, considers it a matter of worry how the US approaches the countries in the Arctic. President Trump’s attempt to purchase Greenland shows his attitude towards the people of the Arctic and might portray the lack of respect and knowledge international political leaders have for the people of the Arctic.

Featured image: Iceland. Pexels/Gabriel Kuettel
Source: Iceland Review Magazine/ Gréta Sigríður Einarsdóttir

Estonia ranks first in Europe according to the OECD’s international survey PISA 2018 (Programme for International Student Assessment)

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

December 3, 2019

NordenBladet – The skills of Estonian students rank 1st in Europe according to the OECD’s international survey PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). Estonian students rank first in all three domains of assessment. The share of top performers has increased while the share of students performing below the baseline level has decreased. The results indicate that the level of education provided by basic school is not dependent on the socio-economic background of a student.

>Estonia’s 15-year-olds rank 1st in reading, science and mathematics in Europe while in the world, Estonia’s students rank 5th in reading, 8th in mathematics and 4th in sciences. Estonia belongs to one of five countries globally where students have demonstrated improved results in two domains. The PISA results suggest that Estonia’s education system is effective and ensures equity – compared to other countries, there is a large number of students who despite socio-economic disadvantage attain a high level of academic proficiency.

“We must first of all thank our students, parents and teachers for these results. Their dedication and hard work each day gives us reason to take pride in our education,” said Mailis Reps, the Minister of Education and Research of Estonia. “Our consistently excellent PISA results show that we have made right choices in our education policy in this fast-changing world. I am glad that Estonia is increasingly known and recognised as an education nation.”

PISA 2018 focused on reading literacy. The Estonian results demonstrate a steady growth in performance, increasing by 22 points compared to 2009 when reading literacy was last assessed. The difference between the performance of boys and girls has declined significantly. Estonian students are very good in searching for information and data. The number of top performers has increased compared to the last PISA assessment in 2015. 13.9% of students are able to solve complicated and very complicated tasks compared to OECD’s average of 8.5%.

Estonian students have one of the highest levels of knowledge in natural sciences (biology, physics and chemistry): 1st in Europe and OECD member states, and 4th in the world. The share of top performers in sciences is double the OECD average (12.2% compared to 6.8%). Estonia also has the lowest number (8.8%) of low performing students among European and OECD member states (the OECD average is 22%).

In mathematics, Estonian students rank 1st in Europe and 8th in the world. 15.5% of students are top performers compared to OECD average of 5%. Boys rank slightly higher than girls in mathematics.

PISA assesses skills necessary for future

The domains PISA assesses play fundamental role in students’ future studies and performance, said Gunda Tire, the PISA Coordinator in Estonia and expert at the Foundation Innove. “PISA provides countries with feedback on their education system. The results are helpful for understanding which aspects of the education system require more attention,” said Tire. “In addition to skills and knowledge, PISA also looks as students’ well-being.”

The majority (77%) of Estonian students exhibit growth mindset – they believe that they are capable of improving their intelligence and are willing to put effort into their own development in order to secure a better future. This is the highest among OECD countries. 70% of students plan to attain higher education; the most popular professions are ICT specialist, doctor, CEO, architect and psychologist.

On average, 70% of Estonian students are satisfied with their life, which is above OECD’s average. For the first time, PISA 2018 studied how students feel in their lives. Results demonstrate that 89% of students feel always happy and cheerful while 53% are worried and 51% sad.

Estonia’s challenges

While the differences in results between boys and girls in reading literacy has decreased and both genders have improved significantly, the share of low-performing boys is larger than we would like. A student-oriented approach and a greater attention to different approaches are something that help to decrease the number of low performers.

Similarly to previous results, a performance gap between schools with different languages of instruction persists. The consistent gap shows that more attention must be paid to training teachers and headmasters. It must be highlighted that students at schools with Russian as the language of instruction perform above the OECD average.

Estonia’s education know-how in the world

Thanks to the excellent results in PISA, Estonia has become an education expert in the world, said minister Mailis Reps. “I am glad that we have proven ourselves to the world in three of the most important domains. By learning from other countries, we have been able to shape our unique path that has made us a top performer. We have become from students to teachers. Now it is our turn to share our expertise and know-how,” said Reps.

“There is great interest in our success story. We have a story to share with the world. We have established an international brand and concept to introduce Estonia’s education,” Reps added.

The brand is called “Education Nation – for the smartEST people in the world”. Working together gives an opportunity to go further, increase the attractiveness of Estonia and provide better support to Estonian education technology companies, said Reps. The brand helps to share Estonia’s know-how, competences, experiences, trainings, smart solutions or products better and it will assemble a number of initiatives and undertakings that showcase Estonia’s education.

Background

79 countries and economies and 600 000 students aged 15 participated in PISA 2018 testing. 5371 students from Estonia participated in the test (4000 in Estonian language and 1371 in Russian language).
PISA focuses on the 15-year-olds because at this age, students in many OECD countries graduate compulsory education and decide their next steps.
PISA is a triennial international survey with a goal to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students in mathematics, reading and sciences. Each PISA cycle explores one of the subjects in more detail. PISA 2018 focused on reading literacy. The financial literacy was also studies and the results will be published in 2020.

Materials

Featured image: Pexels

Norway: Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway releases statement about meetings with Jeffrey Epstein

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

December 2, 2019

NordenBladet – Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has spoken about her links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein*, according to reports. Norwegian newspaper Dagens Næringsliv reports that the royal, 46, admits she met Epstein on several occasions between 2011 and 2013, after the American financier was first convicted in 2008.

In a statement to DN, Mette-Marit said: “I would never have had anything to do with Epstein if I had been aware of the seriousness of his criminal acts. I should have investigated Epstein’s past and regret that I did not.”

The communications manager at the royal court told the newspaper: “The crown princess chose to end contact with Epstein in 2013, partly because she experienced that Epstein was trying to use the connection he had had with the crown princess to influence other people.”

Crown Princess Mette-Marit is the wife of Crown Prince Haakon, the heir apparent to the throne of Norway.

It comes after the Duke of York spoke about his connections with Epstein during a BBC Newsnight interview last month. Prince Andrew, 59, has since stepped down from royal duties for the “foreseeable future.”

Prince Andrew’s accuser Virginia Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, gave an interview to BBC Panorama on Monday night, in which she spoke about her alleged meetings with the royal, including at Tramp nightclub in London in 2001 and a photograph of them together.

Buckingham Palace have responded, denying Virginia’s claims. A statement released on Monday evening read: “It is emphatically denied that The Duke of York had any form of sexual contact or relationship with Virginia Roberts. Any claim to the contrary is false and without foundation.”

The palace also spoke out about the Duke of York’s association with Jeffrey Epstein, stating: “The Duke of York unequivocally regrets his ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein’s suicide left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims. The Duke deeply sympathises with those affected who want some form of closure. It is his hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. The Duke is willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required. The Duke has already stated that he did not see, witness or suspect any behaviour of the sort that subsequently led to Jeffrey Epstein’s arrest and conviction. He deplores the exploitation of any human being and would not condone, participate in, or encourage any such behaviour.”

___________________________________

* Jeffrey Edward Epstein (January 20, 1953 – August 10, 2019) was an American financier and convicted sex offender. Epstein began his professional life as a teacher but then switched to the banking and finance sector in various roles, working at Bear Stearns before forming his own firm. He developed an elite social circle and procured many women, including underage girls, who were then sexually abused by Epstein and some of his contacts.

In 2005, police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein after a parent complained that he had sexually abused her 14-year-old daughter. Epstein pleaded guilty and was convicted in 2008 by a Florida state court of procuring an underage girl for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute. He served almost 13 months in custody, but with extensive work release. He was convicted of only these two crimes as part of a plea deal; federal officials had in fact identified 36 girls, some as young as 14 years old, whom Epstein had sexually abused.

Epstein was arrested again on July 6, 2019 on federal charges for the sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York. He died in his jail cell on August 10, 2019. The medical examiner ruled the death a suicide, although Epstein’s lawyers have disputed the ruling. Because his death eliminates the possibility of pursuing criminal charges, a judge dismissed all criminal charges on August 29, 2019.

Featured image: Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway (NordenBladet)

Nordic Business Forum Sweden 2019: Simon Sinek´s five must-have components to succeed in the infinite game + FULL keynote video

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 7, 2019

NordenBladet – You can win every battle but still lose the war. The goal is not to beat your competition; the goal is to outlast them. So what does it mean to play the infinite game as a leader? It means you leave something behind that outlasts your finite presence or contributions. An infinite leader builds a culture so strong, that when the leader is no longer there, the culture lives on. Infinite leaders commit to their just cause. The work produced by striving for that just cause has the indelible fingerprints of the leader, and lasts far beyond the time of the leader’s tenure.

“When somebody is playing with an infinite mindset
then they know that sometimes you have the best product
and sometimes somebody else has a better product..
There´s no such thing as winning or losing
There´s no such thing as being the best
There´s only ahead and behind.
And the goal is not to beat the competition
The goal is to OUTLAST the competition!
The only true competitor in the infinite game is YOURSELF!” –
Simon Sinek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRIfTfVOMG4

Sinek´s (46) five must-have components to succeed in the infinite game:

1. Just cause — More than your “why” or purpose, a just cause is what motivates you to get out of bed in the morning. It’s the passion or hunger that burns inside that compels you to do what you do. Your just cause is what powers you to outlast your competitors. It propels you forward in the face of adversity and empowers you to persevere when you feel like giving up.

2. Courageous leadership — Playing the infinite game requires leaders to prioritize the just cause above anything else. They are willing to stand up to the pressures of the Board, Wall Street, or popular sentiment, and stay true to their cause. This struggle is often too great for a single person to tackle alone, so it requires all the leaders of the organization to band together and act in alignment.

3. Vulnerable team — Sinek says being a vulnerable team doesn’t mean it’s acceptable for everyone to walk around crying. It means you’ve invested the time and energy to build a culture in your organization where people feel safe to be themselves. They can admit they don’t know something or that they made a mistake. They can take appropriate risks without fear of retribution or retaliation. If you’re people don’t feel safe, that is your fault, not theirs.

4. Worthy adversary — In the infinite game, adversaries are acknowledged and treated with respect, but our success or failure isn’t measured against them. Ultimately we are competing against ourselves, and our success or failure should be measured against our just cause. Our adversaries may push us to improve our products, services, marketing, etc., but in the infinite game we are constantly striving to become a better version of ourselves in order to fulfill our just cause.

5. Open playbook — Too many organizations pursue a variable cause with a fixed strategy, Sinek theorizes, rather than pursuing a fixed cause with a variable strategy. Having an open playbook means leaders and organizations are willing to have flexible strategies and plans that change as needed to pursue their just cause. An open playbook also means you are transparent with your strategies, so all members of the team can literally be on the same page. Leaders resist being too transparent with information because they fear losing control. They distrust how people will use that information so they hold it close to the vest. That only results in people making sub-optimal decisions because they don’t know all the plays in the playbook.

____________________________________________
Who is Simon Sinek?

Simon Oliver Sinek (born October 9, 1973) is a British-American author and motivational speaker. He is the author of five books, including Start With Why (2009) and The Infinite Game (2019).

Sinek was born in Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom and as a child lived in Johannesburg, South Africa, London, and Hong Kong before settling in the United States. He graduated from Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest in 1991. He studied law at London’s City University, but left law school to go into advertising. He received a BA in cultural anthropology from Brandeis University.

Sinek began his career at the New York ad agencies Euro RSCG and Ogilvy & Mather. He later launched his own business, Sinek Partners. Simon Sinek’s golden circle which describes a perspective of the influence of successful leaders and organisations.

Sinek has written five books. Start With Why, his first book, was published October 2009. His second book, titled Leaders Eat Last, appeared on the bestseller lists of the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.

As a motivational speaker, Sinek has given talks at The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit, and at the TEDx conference.

In June 2018, The Young Turks reported a $98,000 no-bid contract from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for “customized Simon Sinek leadership training” to take place between April 26 and May 15 2018.

Sinek is also an instructor of strategic communications at Columbia University, and is an adjunct staff member of the RAND Corporation.

Sinek started Optimism Press, which is an imprint of Penguin Random House.

Books:
Sinek, Simon (2009). Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action.
Sinek, Simon (2014). Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t.
Sinek, Simon (2016). Together Is Better: A Little Book of Inspiration.
Sinek, Simon (2017). Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team.
Sinek, Simon (2019). The Infinite Game.

Tags: #SimonSinek #NordicBusinessForum #NBF2019 #NordenBladet #nbforum #nbfsweden

Iceland: Icelandic football star Kolbeinn Sigþórsson arrested after rambunctious night in Sweden

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

November 1, 2019

NordenBladet – It seems Icelandic footballer Kolbeinn Sigþórsson was partying too hard and landed himself behind bars in Sweden after a rowdy night out. According to Swedish newspaper Expressen, one player in the Swedish league was arrested last night. They were initially withholding the name from the public, but Fréttablaðið confirmed that the jailbird was Sigþórsson.

According to the report, Kolbeinn apparently resisted arrest around 3:00 o’clock on Friday night and subsequently spent the night in jail. The AIK football club executives have not commented substantially, just saying that the matter will be handled internally.

“Going out for fun in this way is not according to our values,” the chairman of the company told Fréttablaðið. As for whether Kolbeinn will be in the final round on Saturday, we’ll just have to wait and see.

________________________________________

Kolbeinn Sigþórsson (born 14 March 1990) is an Icelandic professional footballer who plays as a striker for Swedish club AIK and the Iceland national team.

Before being signed by Ajax for a fee of €4.5 million in the summer of 2011, Kolbeinn came through Víkingur Reykjavik’s youth program. He then had a brief spell with HK Kópavogs in his home country and moved on to AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands.

Before making his debut for the Icelandic national team, Kolbeinn played at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels. With 26 goals, he is their joint top goalscorer of all-time.

His brother Andri Sigþórsson was also a professional footballer who now acts as his agent.

Featured image: Kolbeinn Sigþórsson (Wikimedia Commons)

GALLERY & WINNERS: Nordic Council’s festive awards gala in Stockholm concert hall

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

October 30, 2019

NordenBladet – Yesterday evening, on Tuesday 29 October 2019 awards were handed out in Sweden in Stockholm’s concert hall (Stockholms konserthus, Hötorget 8) at a festive awards gala held by the Nordic Council. Every year the Nordic Council also announces five prizes: the prize for literature, film, music, environment as well as children’s and youth’s literature. Besides the acknowledgement the winner also receives a monetary prize of 350 000 Danish kroons.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Nz_S9nOny/

This year’s festive awards gala was opened by welcoming speeches from the Swedish parliament speaker Per Olof Andreas Norlén, the Nordic Council of Ministers’ president Hans Wallmark and the Nordic Council of Ministers’ vice-president Gunilla Carlsson, what even added to the festive atmosphere by giving a fantastic concert was the Västerås Symphonic Orchestra with conductor Cathrine Winnes. The event was hosted by Swedish literary critic and television host Jessika Gedlin.jhjh The other performers at the concert were Emilia Amper (a well-known Swedish folk musician and Key Fiddle player), El Sistema Södertälje children’s orchestra, The Mamas (a female trio with members Loulou LaMotte, Dinah Yonas Manna and Ash Haynes), the cellist Johanna Sjunnesson and the Islandic duo Hugar ( Pétur Jónsson, Bergur Þórisson).

First of all the 2019 prize for children’s and youth’s literature was announced (The Nordic Council Children and Young People´s Literature Prize 2019). The prize and the nominees were introduced by Swedish prime minister Stefan Löfen. The winner was 44-year-old Norwegian writer and illustrator Kristin Roskifte. The prize-winning book was “Alle sammen teller” (“Everybody counts”).

The second announced prize was the Nordic Cuncil’s Music Prize 2019. The prize and the nominees were introduced by Finnish conductor and cellist Susanna Mälkki. The music prize winner was the Islandic instrumentalist Gyða Valtýsdóttir. Valtýsdóttir was so moved about winning the prize that a quiver of hands was visible during the acknowledgement speech. With a softest of voices she said that the person behing her success story was her mother.

The third prize to be announced was the Nordic Council Environment Prize 2019. The prize and the nominees were introduced by the European Youth Parliament member Noura Berrouba. The winner was 16-year old Swedish climate activist and founder of the movement “Fridays for Future” Greta Thunberg. The audience applauded to Thunberg already when the nominees were announced. Thunberg helself however was not attending the event since at that time she was in California. On behalf of her the fellow activists got the floor and read out loud Thunberg’s letter that included a thank you as well as the message that she will decline the prize. “I want to thank the Nordic Council for this award. It’s a great honour. But the climate movement needs no more prizes. What we need is for those in power and politicians to listen to research,” she announced. The Nordic Council’s president Hans Wallmark stated on the Norden.org page that he honours the decision that Greta Thunberg has made and that is is being decided what will be done with the prize sums (read more about Greta Thunberg prize and declining the prize sums HERE).

Fourth, the Nordic Council Film Prize 2019 was announced. The nominees were introduced and the prize was handed out by Norwegian actress Lena Cecilia Sparrok. The prize went to Danish drama film “Queen of Hearts” (original title: Dronningen). Film director and screenwriter May el-Toukhy, screenwriter Maren Louise Käehne, film producers Caroline Blanco and Rene Ezra.

The fifth prize, the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2019 was introduced and announced by Swedish poet and writer Johannes Anyuru. The prize went once more to Denmark. The winner of the prize was 28-year old Jonas Eika Rasmussen with his novel “Efter Solen”. However, Jonas Eika brought quite some anxiety to the concert hall. While holding his acknowledgement speech he took advantage of the situation to blame the current government. In the two-page speech that he had prepared, he blamed the Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen who at the time was seated just a few meters away in the hall, he spoke of capitalism, racism, and need for radical changes in the Nordic countries.

A fine ending to the prize gala 2019 of the Council of Ministers (19:30 – 21.00) was made by “Ain´t No Mountain High Enough” by The Mamas and Västerås´i Symphony Orchestra.
See more: a brief society gallery from the gala guests (a.k.a. five minutes before the concert in the hallway and the hall) is soon available at NordenBladet entertainment pages Ohmygossip.

Photography and text: NordenBladet / Helena-Reet Ennet

SWEDEN´s climate and environmental activist Greta Thunberg turns down Nordic Council´s environmental award and prize money

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

October 30, 2019

The nordic council environment prize 2019

NordenBladet – Greta Thunberg, who became known worldwide for her weekly climate strikes, has decided to decline the Nordic Council’s environmental award and 350,000 Danish kroner (US$52,042) in prize money. The Swedish teen climate change activist rejected the recognition in an Instagram post on Tuesday (29.oct. 2019) because “the climate movement does not need any more awards.”

Thunberg thanked the Nordic Council for the award, but she said she cannot accept it. “What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science,” she wrote in the post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Ns7PQpE5C/?utm_source=ig_embed

“I have received the Nordic Council’s environmental award 2019. I have decided to decline this prize. Here’s why: “I am currently traveling through California and therefore not able to be present with you today. I want to thank the Nordic Council for this award. It is a huge honour.”

“But the climate movement does not need any more awards. What we need is for our politicians and the people in power start to listen to the current, best available science.”

“The Nordic countries have a great reputation around the world when it comes to climate and environmental issues. There is no lack of bragging about this. There is no lack of beautiful words. But when it comes to our actual emissions and our ecological footprints per capita – if we include our consumption, our imports as well as aviation and shipping – then it’s a whole other story.”

Thunberg also pointed to a report from the World Wide Fund for Nature and the Global Footprint Network, which said Sweden, along with the most of Nordic region, lived as if the world has the resources of four planets. “In Sweden we live as if we had about 4 planets according to WWF and Global Footprint Network. And roughly the same goes for the entire Nordic region.”

“In Norway for instance, the government recently gave a record number of permits to look for new oil and gas. The newly opened oil and natural gas-field, ”Johan Sverdrup” is expected to produce oil and natural gas for 50 years; oil and gas that would generate global CO2 emissions of 1,3 billion tonnes.”

“The gap between what the science says is needed to limit the increase of global temperature rise to below 1,5 or even 2 degrees – and politics that run the Nordic countries is gigantic. And there are still no signs whatsoever of the changes required.”

“The Paris Agreement, which all of the Nordic countries have signed, is based on the aspect of equity, which means that richer countries must lead the way.”

“We belong to the countries that have the possibility to do the most. And yet our countries still basically do nothing. So until you start to act in accordance with what the science says is needed to limit the global temperature rise below 1,5 degrees or even 2 degrees celsius, I – and Fridays For Future in Sweden – choose not to accept the Nordic Councils environmental award nor the prize money of 500 000 Swedish kronor.”

The Nordic Council Awards Ceremony 2019 in Stockholm, Sweden. Greta Thunberg won the Nordic Council Environment Prize 2019. Two fellow activists spoke on Thunberg’s behalf at the award ceremony and quoted her as saying: “What we need is for our rulers and politicians to listen to the research. Greta Thunberg is currently in the United States (California).
Photos: 6x NordeBladet/Helena-Reet Ennet (29 October 2019 at the Stockholm Concert Hall)

____________________________________________

Greta Thunberg (16) is a Swedish teenage environmental activist on climate change whose campaigning has gained international recognition.

Thunberg first became known for her activism in August 2018 when, at age 15, she began spending her school days outside the Swedish parliament to call for stronger action on global warming by holding up a sign saying (in Swedish) “School strike for climate”. Soon, other students engaged in similar protests in their own communities. Together, they organised a school climate strike movement under the name Fridays for Future. After Thunberg addressed the 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference, student strikes took place every week somewhere in the world. In 2019, there were at least two coordinated multi-city protests involving over one million students each.

Thunberg is known for her blunt, straightforward speaking manner, both in public and to political leaders and assemblies, in which she urges immediate action to address what she describes as the climate crisis. At home, Thunberg convinced her parents to adopt several lifestyle choices to reduce their own carbon footprint, including giving up air travel and not eating meat.

Her sudden rise to world fame has made her a leader and a target. In May 2019, Thunberg was featured on the cover of Time magazine, which named her a “next generation leader” and noted that many see her as a role model. Thunberg and the school strike movement were also featured in a 30-minute Vice documentary titled Make the World Greta Again. Some media have described her impact on the world stage as the “Greta Thunberg effect”. Thunberg has been the recipient of numerous honours and awards, including fellowship of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, has been named as one of the 100 most influential people of 2019 by Time magazine. Thunberg was nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize which was ultimately awarded to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. In September 2019, she addressed the UN Climate Action Summit in New York.

Greta Thunberg was born on 3 January 2003 in Stockholm, the daughter of opera singer Malena Ernman and actor Svante Thunberg. Her paternal grandfather is actor and director Olof Thunberg.

Thunberg says she first heard about climate change in 2011, when she was 8 years old, and could not understand why so little was being done about it. Three years later she became depressed, lethargic, and stopped talking as well as eating, and eventually was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and selective mutism. While acknowledging that her diagnosis “has limited me before”, she does not view her Asperger’s as an illness and has instead called it her “superpower”.

For about two years, Thunberg challenged her parents to lower the family’s carbon footprint and overall impact on the environment by becoming vegan, upcycling, and giving up flying. She has said she tried showing them graphs and data, but when that didn’t work, she warned her family that they were stealing her future. Giving up flying in part meant her mother had to give up her international career as an opera singer. Thunberg credits her parents’ eventual response and lifestyle changes with giving her hope and belief that she could make a difference. The family story is recounted in the 2018 book Scenes from the Heart.

North Norway’s polar night is about to begin! ALL THE FACTS you need to know about the ‘dark time’ above the Arctic Circle in Norway

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

October 22, 2019

NordenBladet – North Norway’s polar night* is about to begin. In late November, the sun will set in Tromsø and won’t be seen again until January. Other parts of North Norway above the Arctic Circle will see similar months of the annual polar night. In Longyearbyen on Svalbard, the polar night lasts from the last week of October until mid-February.

The people of Northern Norway have lived with the dark months for the past 10,000 years or so. They go to work and to school as usual, and the range of leisure activities available in the evenings is broad and varied. Cafés, restaurants and nightspots fill up night after night with talkative, good-humoured people, and many entertaining festivals are held during this period. Outdoor activities are far from impossible. There are illuminated ski runs in even small resorts in Northern Norway, and some operators organise dog-sledding and scooter trips where participants wear head-lights.

Here are all the facts you need to know about the ‘dark time’ above the Arctic Circle in Norway:

The polar night — defined as the period in which the sun is below the horizon 24 hours a day — occurs both north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle (at opposite times of the year).

In the northern hemisphere, the polar night occurs due to the northern part of the earth tilts away from the sun during this time.

The Latin name for the Northern Lights, Aurora Borealis, means ‘red sky at morning in the north’.

The Northern Lights occur as a result of particles from the sun hitting the earth’s atmosphere, or changes in the magnetosphere caused by solar wind.

Norwegian folklore says you shouldn’t wave at the Northern Lights. Doing so will cause the lights to come and take you away, so the myth goes.

People who live north of the Arctic Circle often find it harder to sleep during the polar night. This is because melatonin, a hormone which helps regulate circadian rhythms, is stimulated by light.

Darker days mean the body finds it harder to regulate its melatonin levels, which can wreak havoc on sleeping patterns.

Although the olar night is associated with pitch black, it’s not completely dark by definition. In fact, only small areas close to the poles experience complete darkness.

Since ‘night’ is considered to be when the centre of the Sun is below a free horizon, some level of light is often present, particularly when skies are cloudless.

Although many find the long absence of the sun a daunting prospect, others embrace it and even prefer it to its summer opposite, the polar day. Incidentally, the Norwegian term for polar day is fargetid (colour time).

Common questions with answers:

What is the polar night?
The polar night is the term for when night lasts for more than 24 hours inside the polar circles. In this case, ‘night’ is defined as when the centre of the Sun is below the horizon. Not all latitudes are situated north enough to experience sustained total darkness; instead their brightest moments are levels of polar twilight that occur in the early afternoon before evening approaches and the darkness intensifies.

What causes the polar night?
The polar night is caused by the rotation of the earth in relation to the position of the sun. The earth rotates on a titled axis of around 23.5 degrees. As a result of this axial tilt, there are periods of the year where the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle are either completely exposed or obscured from the sun. When they are obscured it causes the prolonged darkness known as the polar night, while when they are exposed it creates a prolonged period of daylight known as the midnight sun.

How long does the polar night last?
The full length of the polar night depends on your latitude. The average duration for most destinations is around 30 days, but more northerly locations can enjoy as almost two months of darkness. If you were situated at one of the poles this would last for around 11 weeks.

Where can I experience the polar night?
In Sweden’s most northern city of Kiruna, the polar night lasts for approximately 28 twenty-four-hour periods. In the Norwegian city of Tromsø, the dark hours can last for up to a month a half. If you visit Hammerfest, both the northernmost city in the world and one of the two oldest towns in Norway, the polar night lasts for almost two months.

Can you visit Northern Norway in the dark months?
Absolutely! To visit Northern Norway during the dark months is to meet us Northerners at home. It is a great time for cultural events, festivals, good food, shopping and outdoor activities. Bring your friend or family for a nice long weekend in the far north – it is the perfect setting for spending quality time together by the light of flickering candles. The spawning cod swim in close to the shore, and your taste buds rejoice. Snow scooter trips, dog-sledding and sleigh rides are organised in many places in Northern Norway and on Svalbard, and this is a great time of year to see the Northern Lights.

Here is a list of places that experience dark months. The dates indicate when the sun is below the horizon. In practice, however, the periods are often longer because mountains block the view to the south.

Svolvær: 7 December–5 January
Harstad: 2 December–10 January
Bardufoss: 30 November–12 January
Andenes: 29 November–13 January
Tromsø: 27 November–15 January
Alta: 25 November–17 January
Vardø: 23 November–19 January
Hammerfest: 22 November–20 January
Berlevåg: 21 November–21 January
North Cape: 20 November–22 January
Longyearbyen: 26 October–16 February
The North Pole: 25 September–18 March

___________________________
* The polar night occurs in the northernmost and southernmost regions of the Earth when the night lasts for more than 24 hours. This occurs only inside the polar circles. The opposite phenomenon, the polar day, or midnight sun, occurs when the Sun stays above the horizon for more than 24 hours.

The polar shortest day is not totally dark everywhere inside the polar circle, but only in places within about 5.5° of the poles, and only when the moon is well below the horizon. Regions located at the inner border of the polar circles experience polar twilight instead of polar night. In fact, polar regions typically get more twilight throughout the year than equatorial regions.

For regions inside the polar circles, the maximum lengths of the time that the Sun is completely below the horizon varies from zero a few degrees beyond the Arctic Circle and Antarctic Circle to 179 days at the Poles. However, not all this time is classified as polar night since sunlight may be visible because of refraction. The time when any part of the Sun is above the horizon at the poles is 186 days. The preceding numbers are average numbers: the ellipticity of the Earth’s orbit makes the South Pole receive a week more of Sun-below-horizon than the North Pole.

Featured image: Norway (Pexels)

A Nobel way to discover Stockholm

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

October 6, 2019

NordenBladet – Between October 7 and 14, the Nobel Prize winners of 2019 will be announced. During this week, you can attend a series of events labeled Nobel Calling Stockholm. The focus will be on the importance of science, literature and peace efforts, and the events will be held at various locations around town.

Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize, take a guided tour of the Stockholm City Hall or put together your own molecule out of yarn.

The Nobel Prize Award Ceremony is held on December 10, 2019. Top scientists, royalties, and politicians gather in Stockholm Concert House to honor this year’s Laureates. In the evening, the Nobel banquet is held in the City Hall.

2019 Nobel Prize announcements:

Join the Nobel Prize Museum and listen to “the magic phone call”, when this year’s Laureates are announced.

Physiology or Medicine – Monday October 7, 11:30 am at the earliest.

Physics – Tuesday October 8, 11:45 am at the earliest.

Chemistry – Wednesday October 9, 11:45 am at the earliest.

Literature – Thursday October 10, 1:00 pm at the earliest.

The Swedish Academy will announce the Nobel Prize in Literature for both 2018 and 2019.

Peace – Friday October 11, 11:00 am.

Economic Sciences – Monday October 14, 11:45 am at the earliest.

For more information go to: The Nobel Prize Museum

Be inspired by ideas that changed the world. The Nobel Museum contains all essential information about the most prestigious prize in the world, Alfred Nobel, and the Nobel Laureates. Guided tours, films, and diverse objects take you from idea to the Nobel Banquet. Bistro serving lunch, Nobel ice cream and more. Shop.

Address: Stortorget, 11129 Stockholm
Phone: +46(0)8-534 818 00
nobelprizemuseum.se

Denmark’s main royal residence, Amalienborg Palace, increases terror preparedness

By

Helena-Reet Ennet

-

September 17, 2019

NordenBladet – The Danish royal residence of Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen will soon be closed to all car traffic as part of moves to reduce the threat of a terror attack. The Danish news-agency “Ritzau” confirmed the details from Copenhagen City Council and the Danish Royal Court.

The move means that cars will no longer be able to drive into Amalienborg Palace square, according to the Royal Court. However, pedestrians and cyclists may continue to access the area as they do now.

There will be a total of 52 steel barriers set up to block the four entrances to the Palace Square on the basis of a safety recommendation from Danish police. An additional 13 steel gates will prevent cars from passing through the area around the castle.

“We must, of course, ensure that it is safe and secure to move in the square, and we have therefore decided to establish a permanent security of the palace site”, said Nikolaj Jensen, Deputy Director of Amalienborg castle to Danish media.

The Danish Royal Court and Culture Board states that the purpose of the ban is to increase security when larger crowds gather at the site. There are major events in the Royal House, such as the Queen’s birthday, but also on weekdays, large crowds gather at the square. After trucks and other vehicles were used in attacks overseas, the Danish Royal Court has decided to close the square for all normal car traffic.

Amalienborg is one of the most visited sights in Copenhagen and thousands of tourists from Denmark and abroad travel in the area especially during the summer months, at royal birthdays and to see the Royal Life Guard perform their daily change of guard ceremony.

Amalienborg is the home of the Danish Royal Family and consists of four identical classical palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard. In the centre of the square is an equestrian statue of Amalienborg’s founder, King Frederick V. Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families; however, when Christiansborg Palace was damaged by fire in 1794, the Royal Family bought the palaces and moved in.

Amalienborg (Amalienborg Slotsplads 5, 1257 København K, Denmark) is the home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classical palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard (Danish: Amalienborg Slotsplads); in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg’s founder, King Frederick V.

Amalienborg was originally built for four noble families; however, when Christiansborg Palace burned on 26 February 1794, the royal family bought the palaces and moved in. Over the years various kings and their families have resided in the four different palaces.

History

The first palaces on the site

The Frederiksstaden district was built on the former grounds of two other palaces. The first palace was called Sophie Amalienborg. It was built by Queen Sophie Amalie, consort to Frederick III, on part of the land which her father-in-law Christian IV had acquired outside of Copenhagen’s old walled city, now known as the Indre By district, in the early 17th century when he had been king. Other parts of the land were used for Rosenborg Castle, Nyboder, and the new Eastern fortified wall around the old city.

It included a garden, a replacement for the “Queen’s Garden” which had been located beyond the city’s western gate Vesterport, an area today known as Vesterbro, and which had been destroyed under siege from Sweden in 1659.

Work on the garden began in 1664, and the castle was built 1669-1673. The King died in 1670, and the Queen Dowager lived there until her death on February 20, 1685.

Four years later on April 15, 1689 Sophie Amalie’s son King Christian V celebrated his forty-fourth birthday at the palace with the presentation of a German opera, perhaps the first opera presentation in Denmark, in a specially-built temporary theatre. The presentation was a great success, and it was repeated a few days later on April 19. However, immediately after the start of the second performance a stage decoration caught fire, causing the theatre and the palace to burn to the ground, and about 180 people lost their lives.

The King planned to rebuild the palace, whose church, Royal Household and garden buildings were still intact. Ole Rømer headed the preparatory work for the rebuilding of Amalienborg in the early 1690s. In 1694, the King negotiated a deal with the Swedish building master Nicodemus Tessin the Younger, who spent some time in Copenhagen that summer reviewing the property. His drawing and model were completed in 1697. The King, however, found the plans too ambitious and instead began tearing down the existing buildings that same year, with the reclaimed building materials used to build a new Garrison Church.

The second Amalienborg was built by Frederick IV at the beginning of his reign. The second Amalienborg consisted of a summerhouse, a central pavilion with orangeries, and arcades on both side of the pavilion. On one side of the buildings was a French-style garden, and on the other side were military drill grounds. The pavilion had a dining room on the groundfloor. On the upper floor was a salon with a view out to the harbour, the garden and the drill grounds.

Development of Frederiksstaden by Frederick V

Amalienborg is the centrepiece of Frederiksstaden, a district that was built by King Frederick V to commemorate in 1748 the tercentenary of the Oldenburg family’s ascent to the throne of Denmark, and in 1749 the tercentenary of the coronation of Christian I of Denmark. This development is generally thought to have been the brainchild of Danish Ambassador Plenipotentiary in Paris, Johann Hartwig Ernst Bernstorff. Heading the project was Lord High Steward Adam Gottlob Moltke, one of the most powerful and influential men in the land, with Nicolai Eigtved as royal architect and supervisor.

The project consisted of four identical mansions (see below), built to house four distinguished families of nobility from the royal circles, placed around an octagonal square. These mansions (now called Palaces) form the modern palace of Amalienborg, albeit much modified over the years.

As a royal residence

When the Royal Family found itself homeless after the Christiansborg Palace fire of 1794, the palaces were empty for long periods throughout the year, with the exception of the Brockdorff Palace, which housed the Naval Academy. The noblemen who owned them were willing to part with their mansions for promotion and money, and the Moltke and Schack Palaces were acquired in the course of a few days. Since that date successive royal family members have lived at Amalienborg as a royal residence and kings have lent their names to the four palaces; Christian VII’s Palace, Christian VIII’s Palace, Frederick VIII’s Palace and Christian IX’s Palace.

A colonnade, designed by royal architect Caspar Frederik Harsdorff, was added 1794-1795 to connect the recently occupied King’s palace, Moltke Palace, with that of the Crown Prince, Schack’s Palace.

The four palaces

According to Eigtved’s master plans for Frederikstad and the Amalienborg Palaces, the four palaces surrounding the plaza were conceived of as town mansions for the families of chosen nobility. Their exteriors were identical, but interiors differed. The site on which the aristocrats could build was given to them free of charge, and they were further exempted from taxes and duties. The only conditions were that the palaces should comply exactly to the Frederikstad architectural specifications, and that they should be built within a specified time framework.

Building of the palaces on the western side of the square started in 1750. When Eigtved died in 1754 the two western palaces had been completed. The work on the other palaces was continued by Eigtved’s colleague and rival, Lauritz de Thurah strictly according to Eigtved’s plans. The palaces were completed in 1760.

The four palaces are:

Christian VII’s Palace, originally known as Moltke’s Palace
Christian VIII’s Palace, originally known as Levetzau’s Palace
Frederick VIII’s Palace, originally known as Brockdorff’s Palace
Christian IX’s Palace, originally known as Schack’s Palace

Currently, only the palaces of Christian VII and Christian VIII are open to the public.

Royal Guard
Amalienborg is guarded day and night by Royal Life Guards (Den Kongelige Livgarde). Their full dress uniform is fairly similar to that of the Foot Guards regiments of the British Army: a scarlet tunic, blue trousers, and a navy bearskin cap. The guard march from Rosenborg Castle at 11.30 am daily through the streets of Copenhagen and execute the changing of the guard in front of Amalienborg at noon. In addition, post replacement is conducted every two hours.

When the monarch is in residence, the King’s Guard (Kongevagt) also march alongside the changing of the guard at noon, accompanied by a band that plays traditional military marches. The Guard Lieutenant (Løjtnantsvagt) is always alerted when Prince Henrik or another member of the royal family are reigning in absence of the Queen. There are three types of watches: King’s Watch, Lieutenant Watch and Palace Watch. A King’s Watch is when Her Majesty the Queen takes up residence in Christian IX’s Palace. A Lieutenant Watch is when Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Joachim, or Princess Benedikte, takes the place as regent, when the monarch is unable to. A Palace Watch is when no member of the royal family is in the palace, and it is the smallest one.

Featured image: Amalienborg Palace (NordenBladet)

SOCIETY / BUSINESS

PISA assesses skills necessary for future

Estonia’s challenges

Estonia’s education know-how in the world

Background

Materials