The Arctic Council - it’s all about security
All the Arctic states have described the Council as the most important international forum for dialogue and cooperation on Arctic challenges and opportunities, and as a significant arena for developing knowledge and learning about a changing region. The discussions around whether the Arctic Council has a security policy function have nevertheless been fragmented or lacking. In this workshop, we will explore whether the Arctic Council has a role in security policy, particularly during geopolitically tense times.
When: September 17, 2025, 13:40 - 15:00
Where: Langhuset at SALT, Langkaia 1, 0150 Oslo (next to the Opera House) (up to 120 seats)
Organizer: Fridtjof Nansen Institute
Format: Open workshop. No registration needed, seating is limited and available upon arrival.
Questions? Please contact Svein Vigeland Rottem (svrottem@fni.no).
Tentative program
13:40–13:45 | Welcome
Svein Vigeland Rottem, Senior Researcher, Fridtjof Nansen Institute
13:45–15:00 | Workshop
Panel 1
Jennifer Spence, Director, Arctic Initiative, Harvard University
Rolf Rødven, AMAP
Ben Strong, EPPR
Panel 2
Morten Høglund, Former Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials (2023-2025)
Rasik Ravindra, Former Director General, National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research
Elana Wilson Rowe, Professor, Norwegian University of Life Science & Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
SALT began as an art project in 2014 on Sandhornøy, Northern Norway, centered around the traditional fish-drying rack (fiskehjell). After several years as a nomadic initiative, SALT found a permanent home in Oslo, where it now represents Northern Norwegian (Arctic) culture and architecture in the capital.
