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Minister Greetings: Finland

Taiga Landscape near Rovaniemi, Finland
Photo: Peter Prokosch

By Timo Soini, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Finland

As the Arctic Council turns twenty in 2016, it is time to assess its achievements. Its evolution as an international forum has been remarkable, and its role has been strengthened.

For the past two decades, we have enjoyed stability and good relations in the Arctic. Cooperative efforts across the borders continue to be essential when we face the challenges of climate change and globalization. Our lives are tied together with a common past, and we share a common future.

Greater understanding of the Arctic through research and scientific cooperation is one of the success stories of Arctic cooperation. The top of the world is no longer an unknown region. The University of the Arctic created by the Arctic Council has greatly contributed to this achievement. Finland is proud that UArctic was officially launched in Rovaniemi in 2001, and it is a growing network for universities and research institutes from Arctic and also non-Arctic countries.

The result of the Paris Climate Conference is welcomed by all Arctic countries and peoples. It gives a good starting point for the next twenty years of Arctic cooperation with its challenges and opportunities.

 

Photo: http://www.grida.no/photolib/detail/taiga-landscape-near-rovaniemi-finland_ede9#

Table of Contents

  1. Letter from the Editor in Chief

    By Outi Snellman

  2. 20 Years of Peaceful Cooperation

    By Børge Brende

  3. Celebrating 20 Years of the Arctic Council

    By David Balton

  4. International Cooperation for Arctic Prosperity

    By Sergey Lavrov

  5. Minister Greetings: Iceland

    By Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson

  6. Setting the Stage for Arctic Cooperation

    By Eirik Sivertsen

  7. It All Started in Rovaniemi

    By Markku Heikkilä

  8. Interview with Mary Simon

    By Stig Brøndbo

  9. Interview with Thorvald Stoltenberg

    By Stig Brøndbo

  10. Interview with Alona Yefimenko

    By Stig Brøndbo

  11. Interview with Sheila Watt-Cloutier

    By Stig Brøndbo

  12. The Role of the Working Groups in the Work of the Arctic Council

    By David Stone and Lars-Otto Reiersen

  13. Science to Policy: Arctic Biodiversity Assessment

    By Tom Barry and Courtney Price

  14. The Arctic Council: A Model for Cooperation

    By Timo Koivurova

  15. The Arctic Council: A Victory for Soft Law & Soft Security

    By Heather Exner-Pirot

  16. The Arctic Council: Maintaining Peace Through Cooperation

    By Michael Byers

  17. Arctic Human Development

    By Joan Nymand Larsen and Gail Fondahl

  18. Towards Revival of Arctic Cooperation

    By Olli Rehn

  19. The Arctic Economic Council: Connecting with the Business Community

    By Tara Sweeney

  20. Love & Peace

    By Else Berit Eikeland and Gunn-Britt Retter

  21. Working Inside the Arctic Council: Arctic Change and World Reindeer Herders

    By Mikhail Pogodaev and Anders Oskal

  22. Observer States in the Arctic Council: A Way Forward to Better Cooperation

    By Justin Kim

  23. The Arctic: A Place for the Miraculous

    By Chen Yitong

  24. The Arctic Council Adapting to the Future

    By Arild Moe, Svein Vigeland Rottem and Olav Schram Stokke

  25. The Way Forward for the Arctic Council

    By Oran R. Young

  26. Student Profiles

    By students from Arctic states

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