The High North Hero Award is an annual award established by the High North Center for Business and Governance to honor a person, organization or company who has contributed to highlighting or developing the High North. The award is handed out during the High North Dialogue Conference in Bodø. Every year, the public is invited to nominate candidates.
The nominee must have contributed to an achievement that fulfills at least one of the following criteria:
- The nominee has significantly contributed to business development, societal development, growth or employment in the High North.
- The nominee has significantly contributed to new knowledge about the High North.
- The nominee is innovative and uses innovative methods to create multilateral cooperation in the High North
- The nominee’s contribution is internationally oriented while also having significant local impact
- The nominee contributes significantly to the promotion of the High North, nationally as well as internationally
The first-ever High North Hero Award was awarded in 2016. The previous High North Heroes are:
- 2020 – Felix Henry Tschudi
- 2019 – Robert Corell
- 2018 – Mary Simon
- 2017 – Scott Minerd
- 2016 – Paavo Lipponen
The prize consists of a diploma and 50 000 NOK (equivalent to approximately USD 5 500).
The following international committee will decide and announce the winner:
- Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director , Arctic Frontiers
- Ian Laing, Executive Director , Institute of the North, USA
- Patti Bruns, Secretary-General , Arctic Mayors Forum
- Jennifer Spence, Sustainable Development Working Group, Arctic Council, Canada
- Laurence C. Smith, Professor, Brown University, USA
- Knut Harald Nygård, Project Manager, Equinor, Norway
- Arne O Holm, Editor in Chief, High North News, Norway