politicians, business leaders, civil servants, community leaders, NGO representatives,
resource managers, activists, scientists, university students and educators.
Among those were, 107 from Russia, Finland 17, Iceland 11, Canada 10, USA 9,
Norway 5, Sweden 4, Denmark 2, Germany 2, Australia 1, Belgium 1, Bulgaria
1, Lithuania 1, and United Kingdom 1. The official languages of the meeting
were English and Russian, with simultaneous translation provided. Major funders
of Northern Veche were the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Ford Foundation,
the Government of Iceland, Novgorod Oblast Administration, the City Administration
of Veliky Novgorod, Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University, and the Nordic
Council of Ministers.
As a precursor to the second NRF Open Meeting in Russia, the NRF secretariat
released, in both Russian and English, an Introduction to the 2nd NRF by
Lassi Heininen, Chairman of the NRF, and 14 essays, or "position
papers," written specifically for the event by people prominent in Northern issues and
activities from a variety of backgrounds. These people were asked to write
a 4-5 page commentary on what they see on the horizon within the next several
years, as far as the critical issues, problems, and opportunities facing
their region and people, stakeholder group, or the circumpolar north in
general. In focusing on one to several of the themes that had been identified
for the Open Meeting, position paper writers were also asked to address
the question of what they see as the current opportunities for, and barriers
to, research in the circumpolar north. The introduction by NRF chairman
Heininen and the position papers can be viewed here, but they were meant
to serve as a springboard inspiring discussions during the Open Meeting.
These papers will be published, along with the presentations and other
products of the Forum, in a book in both English and Russian, as well as
on the NRF web-site.
Young
researchers, as rapporteurs, gave oral reports reflecting their
personal impressions of, and ideas, proposals and initiatives
emerging from the plenary, business and project sessions. The
session headings in the program provide links to the written
versions of these individual summary reports. Extensive discussions
followed, where participants expressed their experiences and
views of the second NRF Open Meeting and their aspirations
for the NRF as a forum and as a process. Participants also
wrote on special evaluation forms that were distributed.
Program
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