arctic living
High North News and the True Northern Arts Festival presents: Who Owns the Story of the North?
Great-Power Pressure, Unrest and Everyday Life in The Arctic
Harstad (High North News): How are we affected mentally when the world moves closer, and war, rearmament and preparedness are no longer just something that happens far away?
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From Wednesday to Friday this week, High North News and the True North Arts Festival invite the public to open and exploratory conversations about the role of the High North in a troubled time. We promise sharp perspectives, strong voices and artistic performances.
The debates are moderated by Arne O. Holm, editor of High North News. They can be followed from 11.30 at Nordic Hall in Harstad, Northern Norway, or via streaming on HNN’s website.
In the first debate, we ask how we are affected mentally when the world moves closer, and war, rearmament and preparedness are no longer just things that happen far away.
On Wednesday, the main guest and artistic performance is Navid Rezvani, a Norwegian-Iranian dancer and performing artist with a background in hip-hop, breaking, text and theatre. He has been invited as a clear voice for Iranians and against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and opens the conversation with poetry before dancing on stage.
On the panel, we meet author and former psychiatrist Finn Skårderud, Martine Lødding from True North 2026 and Stig Lægdene, Bishop of Nord-Hålogaland. Together, they explore questions of mental pressure, faith, resilience and what it does to us to live in a time marked by crises, uncertainty and increased preparedness.
