Just as we were feeling the full benefits of being a close and familiar family, the four years of ArcticHubs project is closing out its busy calendar of research activities and events. To mark one of the important focal points from the concluding work package, local residents, authorities and research teams are converging together to attend the Inari future forum and final meeting between 17-19 June.

Generously hosted by the municipal authorities in Ivalo (high up in the Arctic north east corner of Finland), over these long summer days ArcticHubs is taking the opportunity to hear from and share perspectives with a diverse set of stakeholders. The topic of debate centers on what the future decade may bring to the region and its competing land and sea uses. Opinions by now have been further informed by extensive surveying, analysis and cross referencing built up through the introduction of the suite of participatory tools facilitated by ArcticHubs research teams – including public participation GIS, Delphi method surveys and now collective future scenario building.

Taking advantage of regional geography, the event will also provide a convenient opportunity to bring together the views and experiences from colleagues who are able to travel down from the Varangerfjord hub just over the border in Norway. A consideration of what hub locations share in common as well as what elements are more unique for an individual hub, is something that the project has grappled with across all of its activities. We are all looking forward to exploring deeper into the Varanger-Inari cross-over points.

We will report more fully once the event has taken place. But for now, please have a look through the agenda and if you happen to be in or around Ivalo next week do drop in and listen the lively exchanges!

Programme:

17 June, Inari Future Forum, Town Hall in Ivalo, Piiskuntie 2 (in Finnish)

  • 9-10: A brief presentation of the project, the results of ArcticHubs scenario work in Inari
  • 9.30-11:00 ArcticHubs workshop:  How to achieve the desired outcomes of scenarios and how to avoid the undesired ones? (Using the Learning Café method) across 3 tables:
      • reindeer husbandry and nature-based livelihoods
      • Tourism
      • Forestry
  • 11-12: Results and discussion
  • 13-15 Public Event (in Finnish)
      •  Welcome
      • Speech from the Ministry of Environment (online)
      • Speech from the Municipality of Inari
      • Speech from the Sámi parliament
      • Speech from the tourism representative (Lapland North Destination)
      • Presentation of the results related to Inari by ArcticHubs project
        • Global drivers
        • PPGIS
        • Delphi
        • Future scenarios
        • Discussion

18 June, 9am -12 noon, Future Forum with participants from Inari and Varanger, Inari town hall, Piiskuntie 2, Ivalo (in English)

  • ArcticHubs’ presentation: Inari and Varanger scenarios
  • Inari municipality’s views on the common future of the area
  • Varanger representative’s views on co-operation
  • Tourism futures in the area, Lapland North Destination CEO Hanna Kouri
  • 13-16 ArcticHubs final meeting, venue Inari town hall, Piiskuntie 2, Ivalo
    • Chair Pasi Rautio
    • 13 – 14:30 WP presentations: Results
    • WP1 Leena Suopajärvi, WP2 Jukka Teräs, WP3 Jerbelle Elomina, WP4 Taru Rikkonen, WP5 Seija Tuulentie, WP6 Jonathan Karkut 10 min each + discussion
    • 14:30-16 Policy briefs (WP2 (Jukka), WP3 (Jerbelle), WP5 (Seija))
      • Discussion
  • 19:00 Common dinner at Hotel Ivalo