The Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit conference on November 14-16th, 2017 in Rovaniemi, Finland offers an opportunity to reflect on Arctic cooperation and its future. The main theme of the conference is how to bring the UN Sustainable Development Goals to Arctic science, policy and economy. Thus the Conference takes further one of the key guiding lines in the Finnish Chairmanship program for the Arctic Council.

In the Fairbanks ministerial meeting Finland takes over the
two-year rotating chairmanship of the Arctic Council. Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit is the
first large scale public Arctic event of the chairmanship period.

The conference builds on the heritage of “Rovaniemi process”, the first step
in governmental cooperation between the Arctic states. It led to the adoption of the
Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy in 1991 and the current Arctic Council
structures are largely a result of the Rovaniemi process. Thus there is a tradition
of strengthening peace, stability and cooperation in the Arctic region.

This has been the inspiration for the international Arctic conferences
in 2013, 2015 and 2017, in Rovaniemi, Finland. The Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit 2017 will
provide an opportunity to approach such themes as sustainable development and the
current situation of the Arctic co-operation. While not being a part of the official
program of the Arctic Council chairmanship the conference provides space for
relevant and topical Arctic discussions.

The Rovaniemi
Arctic Spirit is integrated with the international Polar Law Symposium. The conference is
co-organized by the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland and the City of
Rovaniemi.

The overall program is now available on the
Conference
website and the registration has been opened. Seating in the venue is
limited and it is expected that the event will be fully booked.

Further information:

Markku Heikkilä
Head of Science Communications
Arctic
Centre, University of Lapland
markku.heikkila(at)ulapland.fi
+358-40-4844300

Rita Junes
Conference
Coordinator
Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
rita.junes(at)ulapland.fi
+358-40-4844182

www.rovaniemiarcticspirit.fi

Facebook: facebook.com/rovaniemiarcticspirit
Twitter: @TheArcticSpirit

Photo: Marko Junttila/Arctic Centre
LaY/AK/MH&RJ