The 2026 conference took place on April 22–23, with a pre-event pubinar at Bådin brewery the evening before. This year’s theme, “Our North, Our Future“, put the spotlight on who gets to shape Arctic policy — and what that means for the people and communities who actually live here.
Photos from the conference are now available online, along with recordings of the main panel sessions.
- Photos from Tuesday, April 21 (brewinar at Bådin)
- Photos from Wednesday, April 22
- Photos from Thursday, April 23
Panel 1: Governance
Narratives about the future of the High North are increasingly being shaped outside the region, in capitals like Washington DC, Beijing, and Brussels. This panel will explore the expanding role of non-regional stakeholders in shaping Arctic policy, and how their priorities – particularly regarding security, climate, and resource access – can diverge, or complement, the values and needs of the Nordic Arctic. How can the Nordic High North assert its own agenda within this broader geopolitical context?
Keynote:
- Mr. Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway
Moderator: Dr. Andreas Raspotnik, Director, High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University Business School
Panel:
- Mr. Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Norway
- H.E. Amy Baker, Ambassador of Canada to Norway
- H.E. Nicolas de La Grandville, EU Ambassador to Norway
- Mr. Paul Bendik Jåma, Member of the Sámi Parliament Council Norway
- Ms. Sophie Arts, Fellow, Transatlantic Security, German Marshall Fund United States
Panel 2: Business
The Arctic is full of local knowledge, research institutions, and entrepreneurial energy—but turning ideas into viable businesses remains a challenge. How can we strengthen innovative ecosystems in the Nordic Arctic to create more start-ups, scale-ups, and skilled jobs?
Moderator: Dr. Jan-Gunnar Winther, Director, Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway
Keynote:
- Ms. Anne Berit Figenschau, Director, Innovation Norway Arctic
Panel:
- Ms. Anne Berit Figenschau, Director, Innovation Norway Arctic
- Dr. Stefan Steinicke, Senior Manager Security and Raw Materials with the Federation of German Industries (BDI)
- Mr. Malte Humpert, Investigative Journalist, High North News
Panel 3: Resilience
The Arctic is changing faster than ever, yet our ability to adapt is falling behind. Resilient communities demand strong emergency preparedness capacities. Preparedness starts at the local level, where knowledge, experience, and people are essential. The panel will highlight the value of local insight, the role of people living in the Arctic in preparedness and resilience, and how we can build readiness.
This panel has been developed in cooperation with Center for Crisis Management and Collaboration – Nordlab at Nord University.
Moderator: Dr. Jennifer Spence, Arctic Initiative, Harvard Kennedy School
Panel:
- Mr. Odd Emil Ingebrigtsen, Mayor of Bodø
- Mr. Hans Kristian Madsen, Director of Fire and Rescue, Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB)
- Ms. Ingibjörg Lilja Ómarsdóttir, Head of Disaster Recovery and Education, Civil Protection in Iceland
- Mr. Vesa Orassalo, Skolt Sámi Fisherman and Student at University of Lapland
Panel 4: People
While the Arctic is often portrayed through the lens of remoteness and challenge, those who live here know the truth: the Nordic North offers rich cultural life, strong communities, unique work–life balance, and increasingly world-class opportunities in education, digital services, and innovation.
This panel will explore the real value of living and working in the Arctic—through the eyes of young professionals, employers, and civic leaders. What makes people stay, move here, or return? And how can we better tell that story—both to ourselves and to the world?
Keynote:
- Mr. Bjørnar Skjæran, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development
Moderator: Ms. Patti Bruns, Secretary General, Arctic Mayors’ Forum
Panel:
- Mr. Bjørnar Skjæran, Minister of Local Government and Regional Development
- Dr. Gry Agnete Alsos, Dean, Nord University Business School
- Ms. Birgitta Larsson, Mayor of Gällivare, Sweden
- Mr. Brynjar Andersen Saus, leader, True North 2026 – Tromsø European Youth Capital
- Ms. Mikajosefin Jonsson Gehrke, Board Member of Sáminuorra – Sámi Youth Organisation in Sweden
High North Young Entrepreneur 2026
High North Young Entrepreneurs is an international pitch competition for Arctic-related business ideas of young entrepreneurs and start-ups. The three finalists will give a presentation and conference participants will vote for the best project. The winner will be announced at the Conference dinner.
Finalists:
- Hringvarmi (Iceland)
- Araxni (Iceland)
- SenSea (Norway)
Moderator: Prof. Bård Borch Michalsen, UiT – The Arctic University of Norway
High North Scenarios 2026
Master students from the course “International governance and business in the High North” present their best future scenarios for the region.
Moderator: Dr. Elena Dybtsyna-Olsen, Associate Professor, High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University Business School
High North Hero 2026
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.
Moderator: Ms. Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director, Arctic Frontiers