State of the Nordic Region 2022

Join the launch events on 23 March, the Nordic Day!

Our report State of the Nordic Region 2022 has its point of departure in the Covid-19 pandemic and examines how it has affected demography, labour market and economy in the Nordic countries, cities, and regions.

Nordregio and the Nordic Council of Ministers welcome you to join five launch events live or digitally as we tour the Nordics on 23 March – The Nordic Day. Researchers, politicians, experts, and more will join us throughout the day with interesting presentations and discussions: What can we learn from the crisis, and what’s needed now to create the most integrated and sustainable region in the world by 2030?

The recordings from events are available here:

Find more information about each event below:

OSLO: From crisis to opportunity

– Nordic co-operation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: What now?

The COVID-19 crisis was a major challenge for Nordic cooperation. All the Nordic countries adopted an inward-looking, state-centric approach, rather than a collective and coordinated transnational response to the crisis. So where do we go from here? While the pandemic exposed some weaknesses and vulnerabilities in Nordic cooperation, it also serves as a reminder of its advantages.

Speakers: Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Norwegian Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Gustaf Norlén, editor and author, Nordregio, and Rasmus Jungersen Emborg, President of the Nordic Youth Council, Helge Orten, Nordic Council, Vice-Chair of the Norwegian delegation, and Hilde Sandvik (Moderator).

When: 9:00–9:45 am (CET). Breakfast is served from 8.30

Where: Litteraturhuset, Oslo

More information about the event

STOCKHOLM: Closed borders and cross-border labour

– How do they co-exist?

458,000 citizens – 1.7% of the Nordic population – live in a different Nordic country to the one in which they were born. This event will look at how the pandemic affected them in terms of cross-border working and mobility – and how Nordic collaboration can be improved.

Speakers: Anna Lundgren, Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio, Anna Hallberg (S), Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Sweden, Magnus Ek (C), Member of Parliament, Chair of the Nordic Council Sustainability Committee, and Johan Strang, Associate Professor, Centre for Nordic Studies, University of Helsinki, and Lisa Pelling (Moderator).

When: 10–10.45 AM (CET). Breakfast will be served from 09:30

Where: Kulturhuset, foajé 3, Stockholm. Entrance from Sergels torg

More information about the event

COPENHAGEN: Covid-19 and the Nordic labour market

– What does a post-pandemic labour market look like?

At this event, we will look at how the pandemic has affected the Nordic labour markets and discuss what they will look like in the future. We will get new insight into the scale of unemployment and short-term layoffs. New data shows that within the Nordic Region, the Faroe Islands, Norway and Denmark were the least affected – but which country suffered the greatest impact?

Keynote speakers: Dr Carlos Tapia, Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio, Flemming Møller Mortensen, Danish Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Paula Lehtomäki, Secretary-General of the Nordic Council of Ministers, Kristina Háfoss, Secretary-General of the Nordic Council, Christine Ravn Lund, chair, Danish Youth Council, and André Jamholt (Moderator).

When: 11 – 11.45 (CET) Lunch and Nordic network 11:45 – 12:30

Where: Nordens Hus, Ved Stranden 18, Copenhagen

More information about the event

HELSINKI: The pandemic and digitalisation: A game-changer

– Post-Covid work and life

Four out of ten Nordic jobs could potentially be done from home if the broadband is good enough. Digitalisation has laid the foundation for a long-term shift toward remote working in the knowledge-based sectors. The option of working remotely has also resulted in more people spending time in their second homes, many of which are in rural areas. These developments have the potential to revitalise Nordic rural areas.

Keynote speakers: Linda Randall, Senior Research Advisor, Nordregio, Erkki Tuomioja, President of the Nordic Council, and Thomas Blomqvist, Finnish Minister for Nordic Cooperation

When: 12 – 12:45 (CET) (13 – 13:45 EET)

Where: Nordic Culture Point, Kajsaniemigatan 9, Helsinki

More information about the event

REYKJAVIK: Life and death in the Nordic Region

– How has the pandemic affected health and life expectancy?

The Icelandic event will shed light on the COVID pandemic’s impact on health and demographics in the Nordic Region. The report reveals that, perhaps surprisingly, life expectancy for both sexes increased in Iceland, Norway, Finland, Denmark and the Faroe Islands in 2020, even though the general trend across Europe was a reduction in life expectancy. However, Sweden stands out as the Nordic country with the highest excess mortality – 8% in 2020.

Keynote speakers: Dr Nora Sanchez Gassen, Senior Research Fellow, Nordregio, Niviaq Korneliussen, winner of the Nordic Council Literature Prize 2021, Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson, Icelandic Minister for Nordic Cooperation, Ragnar Freyr Ingvarsson, former senior physician for the COVID outpatient department, Isabel Alejandra Diaz, Student Council President at the University of Iceland, Eva Lindh, Chairman of the Nordic Council’s Committee for Welfare in the Nordic Region, and Dóra Guðrún Guðmundsdóttir, Division Chief at the Directorate of Health.

When: 13–13:45 (CET) (12-12.45 GMT)

Where: Nordic House, Reykjavik

More information about the event

More information on each event can be found on norden.org

State of the Nordic Region is a biannual report published and produced by Nordregio. State of the Nordic Region 2022 edition takes a closer look at how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected the Nordic Region from three perspectives: Demography, Labour Market and Economy. The report gives a unique look behind the scenes of the world’s most integrated region, comprised of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, along with Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Åland.

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