Open Assemblies

Akureyri 2000 | Novgorod 2002 | Yelloknife 2004 | Oulu/Luleå 2006 | Anchorage 2008

The NRF organizes a biennial open meeting at which members of the research community and representatives of a vide range of other northern stakeholders can meet and exchange ideas.

The first Open Assembly took place in Akureyri, Iceland in November 2000, the second in Veliky Novgorod, Russia in September 2002 and the third in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories in Canada in September 2004. The fourth Open Assembly was held in Oulu, Tornio, Haparanda and Luleå in Sweden and Finland, October 5-8, 2006.

The Fifth NRF Open Assembly will be held in Anchorage, Alaska, 24-27 September 2008.

From an Open Meeting to an Open Assembly  (April 2008) 
The Steering Committee of the NRF has decided that the biennial NRF meeting will be called an Open Assembly instead of an Open Meeting and consequently the 5^th NRF meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, USA in 24^th-27^th of September 2008 will be called the Fifth NRF Open Assembly.

In the early-21^st century, the Circumpolar North has faced rapid and significant environmental, geoeconomic and geopolitical changes, drawing global attention. The current stable political situation in the region and natural and cultural diversities are not given nor determined. Therefore, there is a growing need for both open discussion and dialogue based on expertise between all active actors and stakeholders, and more interactive stages, forums and networks with deeper discussion and representation.