Transborder Café: Presence and Preparedness

The motto of the scout movement: “Be prepared”, resonates well in a time where pandemics, climate and environmental change and ongoing wars in near and remote geographies give reason to be prepared for the unexpected. What we store in our homes becomes an increased awareness, while the preparedness and the common security and safety remains a highly public concern to our governance institutions?

Healthcare, energy, transport and food supply infrastructures are considered important fields of the strengthened Nordic security cooperation, while in the north, one thing remains crucial: a stable presence of civil communities. In an increasingly interconnected world, it might look even more important to understand the connections between civilian preparedness and security on different scales. What roles does media, information and the participation of cultural and civil society play in building and maintaining good and resilient communities? How can local communities be important in understanding the complexity of what is unfolding in the north? How can these issues be addressed in a Nordic perspective and with experiences from other border regions?

Beyond conventional notions of security and military defence – we welcome you to a Transborder Café conversation where we try to understand the complexities of the high north through the presence and preparedness of its communities.

Panelists:
– Torill Johannessen
– Synne Høyforsslett Bjørbæk
– Sidsel Wold
– Ellen Katrine Hætta
– Ville-Pekka Niskanen

Moderator: Arne O. Holm (High North News)

The conversation will be followed by a concert with Fredsdepartemenet (The Ministry of Peace), a band and artistic collective raising focus on peace and nonviolence through music, poetry and conversation.