Nordic-Baltic Conference 2024

The purpose was to exchange experiences between the Nordic and Baltic countries on preparedness issues in the cultural sector and to enable increased cooperation between the Nordic countries in these matters, especially regarding the protection of cultural heritage.

Emergency preparedness in the cultural sector is one of the priorities during the 2024 Swedish Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The conference was largely financed through a generous contribution from the Nordic Council of Ministers and was  arranged together with the Finnish Heritage Agency and the Directorate of cultural heritage in Norway and in cooperation with the Swedish Arts Council.

Participants from the Nordic and Baltic countries were invited. Parts of the conference were recorded, allowing those unable to attend in person to view the lectures afterward.

Knowledge and experience

Cultural heritage forms a frontline in ongoing conflicts and has done so in numerous wars and disputes. The destruction or looting of collections, buildings and monuments serves as a deliberate tactic to erode the identity of adversaries and undermine their psychological resilience.

Cultural heritage and cultural activities can also be subject to various types of hybrid threats including misinformation and undue influence. Against the backdrop of ongoing conflicts and the increasingly precarious security situation in our surrounding world, we want to gather the Nordic and Baltic countries to a conference for the exchange of knowledge and experience with the aim of learning from and enhancing our collective strength.

Researchers, experts, civil servants and decision-makers from the different countries  were able to share their insights and expertise.

You can read the full programme here (pdf)

Documentation from the conference

The lectures and conversations of the first day of the conference are now available to view afterwards (links to YouTube):

Welcome with Moderator Cathrine Mellander Backman, Swedish National Heritage Board and Susanne Thedéen, Acting Director General, Swedish National Heritage Board
Inaugural with Parisa Liljestrand, Minister for Culture, Sweden
Introductory remarks from Unesco (film) with Krista Pikkat, Director, Culture and Emergencies Entity, Unesco

Cultural heritage, the inner light
Khazar Fatemi, journalist and documentary filmmaker

Cultural heritage and security: A Nordic lead in NATO
Frederik Rosén, Nordic Center for Cultural Heritage and Armed Conflict

Actor-driven threats towards heritage
Anna McWilliams & Sofia Olsson, Swedish Defence Research Agency

Weaponising cultural heritage and cultural identity. Examples from the Russian occupational playbook in Ukraine
Stefan Ingvarsson, The Swedish Institute on International Affairs

Dictatorships and cultural genocide
Lusine Djanyan, artist and activist, member of Pussy Riot

Freedom of culture during crisis and war
Marita Mukkonen, Artists at Risk, Finland in conversation with Bongi MacDermott, Swedish Arts Council

Protecting creative voices
Signe Ihlen Tønsberg, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway

Cultural resilience: Strengthening crisis preparedness in the Nordic-Baltic region
Gunvor Kronman, Hanaholmen – Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre in a conversation with Kristin Danielsen, Arts and Culture Norway

Foreign malign interference as a threat to cultural heritage
Lisa Mobrand, Swedish Psychological Defence Agency

Use of cultural heritage for disinformation (propaganda) purposes
Gintaras Ivanavičius, Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture of Lithuania

Always prepared: tomorrow’s leadership today
Rune Todnem By, University of Stavanger, Norway

Civil preparedness for archives
Ruth Tiidor, National Archives of Estonia and Marie Lennersand, Swedish National Archives

Preparing for the unforeseen and protecting heritage in a complex emergency
Aparna Tandon, ICCROM

Finnish perspectives on emergency preparedness in the cultural sector
Teuvo Arolainen, The National Emergency Supply Agency

Concluding panel day 1
Susanne Thedéen, Swedish National Heritage Board, Ulla Salmela, Finnish Heritage Agency, Kristin Danielsen, Arts and Culture Norway & Kajsa Ravin, Swedish Arts Council

 

(Alla rättigheter förbehålles)