Theme: A socially sustainable Nordic region
Photo: Anna-Karin Nilsson/Expressen/TT/NTB
Social sustainability under pressure from many sides
Street battles in Sweden between people from disadvantaged areas and the police have less to do with a Danish politician wanting to burn the Koran and more to do with a lack of social glue between different groups.
The train to Russia stopped running. Lappeenranta limps on.
The borderless Nordic region turned out to be an illusion during the pandemic. It hit the Øresund region, border trade between Sweden and Norway and the citizens of Haparanda and Tornio. But Finland has an eastern border where traffic has ceased because of the pandemic. Today the war in Ukraine has made the situation even worse for Villmanstrand – or Lappeenranta in Finnish – the city with the closest links with Russia.
Ukraine war “crushes dreams for Russians in Finland”
We meet Russian-born Maria Taina-Parviainen outside the Lappeenranta city hall. She does not really want to talk to journalists. But she is upset and she has a message.
MEP Jytte Guteland: another Swedish climate champion
After eight years as an MEP and chief negotiator for EU’s climate legislation, Social Democrat Jytte Guteland is ready to leave the European Parliament to run for a seat in the Swedish one.
Nordics split as EU minimum wage proposal delayed
Is time almost up for the proposed European minimum wage? Much is pointing in that direction. The war in Ukraine and the French presidential election has put breaks on the issue. And there is still great disagreement within the EU.
Fast track for refugees took opposite directions in Sweden and Norway
“Fast track was imported from Sweden, but came to Norway to die!” That is the subtitle of a chapter in a new book about how Norway’s welfare agency NAV has worked with inclusive workplaces, learning and innovation.
Siri starts speaking Icelandic "in 12-18 months"
It is hard making small languages part of a digital environment dominated by a few IT giants. Icelandic authorities have fought to make Icelandic a part of the IT environment, which is increasingly important as more and more things are operated with our voices. Just ask Alexa, Siri and Bixby. Not in Icelandic though, they do not understand it.
Young, smart and excluded from the Swedish labour market
It is not enough to be smart. For many young people, the door is still shut to large parts of the labour market. The organisation NU – Nolla Utanförskapet (End Exclusion) – works with businesses to open the door to those who are excluded. But is it exclusion or inclusion we should be discussing?
The Nordic Council of Ministers' Secretary General steps down in 2023
Finnish Paula Lehtomäki, who became Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2019, has decided to step down in March next year at the end of her contract.
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