The High North Tour 2021: “The Salvation Army is in Every Place with Human Needs, Including Russia” Kirkenes: He has a vision about building up a social center in Russia and cooperates closely with the Salvation Army in the eastern neighboring country. Though so far, Moscow has set its foot down. Now, Karstein M. Kristiansen hopes for re-opening of the border, so that he once again can go to Russia.
The High North Tour 2021: Norwegian and Russian Scientists Meet in Pasvik Pasvik: “Cooperation with Russia is one of the core pillars of our research”, says Research Manager Snorre Hagen at Svanhovd Research Station. In the winter, when the Pasvik River is frozen, he can walk from his lab and over to Russia in a matter of minutes.
The High North Tour 2021: What Happens to Cultural Entrepreneurs during the Pandemic? Harstad: “I am first and foremost worried about those who now leave the cultural sector”, says PhD Candidate Heidi Angell Strøm at UiT Harstad. What was meant to be a research project on cultural entrepreneurs in the Arctic instead became a study in how the pandemic has hit culture in the High North.
The High North Tour 2021: What Happened to Substance Abusers during the Pandemic? Tromsø: When the pandemic hit Norway, there were particular fears about one group being extra hard hit. Substance abusers with underlying conditions were particularly at risk. In addition, shut borders would lead to a pike in drug prices which, in return, would lead to a surge in petty crime.
The High North Tour 2021: He Wants to Revolutionize Both Legislation and the Industry Narvik: Boy-Arne Buyle was heading home from his lab in Narvik when he spotted me. “I am the one you should interview”, he managed to say before I could hide in my mobile office.
The High North Tour 2021: In Vardø, the East meets West in Full View of All Vardø: In Vardø, the town that lies further east than St. Petersburg, American radar installations meet the Russian border. Norway’s only Green Party mayor, Ørjan Jensen, wants more reward for that.
The High North Tour 2021: In Berlevåg, There is A Dream about A Hydrogen Factory Berlevåg: He can barely stand still, Kjell Richardsen, while he describes the visions for a hydrogen factory in Berlevåg, on the northernmost top of Norway. Yet before the factory is finished, both the municipality and the local power company have some obstacles to conquer.
The High North Tour 2021: The Pandemic has Forced New Knowledge Alta: In Alta, the university, local businesses and the municipality have joined forces in what they refer to as a visualization center for building and construction. In this way, students and the construction business meet in the same facilities at Campus Alta.
The High North Tour 2021: “This Education Program is Extremely Important for Business in the North” Alta: “I believe having this education program is extremely important for business in the High North. We have asked our students, and their alternative is not to study at all.”
The High North Tour 2021: Here, They’ve Lived Off Stockfish for Centuries Røst: The stockfish industry history dates back centuries in Røst, the outermost island off the coast of Nordland, Norway. Right now, six million kilos of cod are hung up on special racks – more than 12,000 kilos per inhabitant.
High North Tour 2021: “Perhaps I am Kind of A Musical GP in Røst” Røst: In Røst, you can “hire musical services” at the local town hall. Mikael Rönnberg, Norway’s and perhaps the world’s only island musician, is at the disposal of associations, clubs as well as private persons in one of Norway’s smallest municipalities.
The High North Tour 2021: Røst Fights to Stop Out-Migration Røst: 100 kilometers into the ocean west of Bodø, Norway lies Røst Island, one of Norway’s smallest municipalities. Fisheries are the source of a value creation at the national top level. But here, too, population figures are dropping.
The High North Tour 2021: On the Russian Border, Children Research Bear Poo Svanhovd, Pasvik: She comes from Bilbao in Spain, yet ended up on the Norwegian-Russian border. Here, she uses her academic background as a nature communicator. Norwegian and Russian children reap the benefits of Victoria Gonzalez’ competence.
The High North Tour 2021: Here, Norwegian and Russian Scientists Were in the Same Boat – Until the Pandemic Broke Out Svanhovd, Pasvik: Anne Wikan was born and raised in Pasvik, on the Norwegian border to Russia and Finland. Today, she is station chief at Svanhovd research station, which has close collaboration also with colleagues on the Russian side of the border.
The High North Tour 2021: Scandinavia’s Only Metal Printer is in Narvik Narvik: There is only one of its kind in all of Scandinavia, and it is located in Narvik. Investing in a 3D metal printer takes the tech community at UiT Narvik to new hights.
The High North Tour 2021: Re-Opening the Mine in Kirkenes with New Owners Kirkenes: The iron ore mine in Kirkenes was a political tool owned and subsidized by the Norwegian state for a long time. Today however, a new initiative is coming up following the mine going bankrupt in 2015. In January this year, the Canadian American company Tacora Resources bought in as new main owner.
The High North Tour 2021: The Coast-Based Tourist Industry Aims for Norwegians This Year Too The pandemic prevented foreign tourists last year, though Kjartan Danielsen Carlsen is happy that Norwegians too discovered Northern Norway. On the day when I visited Nyksund and Sea Safari Øksnes, only the weather stopped him from going out at sea.
The High North Tour 2021: The Pandemic Put an End to Races for All Mushers in the Arctic Gargia: Roger Fossøy feels the pandemic in everything he does. As a professional musher, he has seen all races cancelled. For the second year in a row. His winter tourism company a couple of miles outside Alta has also taken a blow.
The High North Tour 2021: When the Fishermen Left Nyksund, the Artists Moved In Nyksund: Once upon a time, Nyksund was one of the largest fishing villages in the Vesterålen region. Today, artists and other creative souls have taken over what could have become an abandoned ghost village. This summer, renown photographer Aleksander Nordahl moves in to the disused fillet factory.
The High North Tour 2021: The Border towards Russia both Separates and Unites Us Pasvik: Border Commissioner Jens-Arne Høilund is in charge of solving any potential border conflict with Russia. “Some argue that the border is there to separate. Others argue that it also unites”, Høilund says to High North News.
The High North Tour 2021: Here are the Soldiers the USA Wants to Train With Pasvik: Here are the soldiers the USA wants to learn from. Ice bathing on the border with Russia is just one of the tough tasks young soldiers must complete.
The High North Tour 2021: The Police Chief by the Russian Border Utnes, Pasvik: Police Chief Ellen Katrine Hætta in Finnmark leads a very special police district. It is Norway’s second largest police district, but also the one with the fewest inhabitants. And it borders on Russia.
The High North Tour 2021: The Guard on the Russian Border has Escaped the Pandemic Pasvik: The garrison in Sør-Varanger, guarding the Norwegian-Russian border, has escaped corona infections so far. Now, Battalion Chief Lieutenant-Colonel Jan Marius Nilsen prepares the reception of soldiers who have been on Easter leave.
The High North Tour 2021: “It is Difficult Now”, says Taste of North Entrepreneur Korsnes: Taste of North has gradually moved from the lutefisk market into the klipfish market. The pandemic is the reason why owner and entrepreneur Sigurd Rydland expects a gloomy season this year for the traditional company in Hamarøy municipality.
The High North Tour 2021: Establishing A Kven Theater Stage Storslett: Theater history is written in Nordreisa, in a language few people speak, lest say understand. Establishing a Kven theater is yet another manifestation of the international Arctic.
The High North Tour 2021: “I Kind of Like the Angry Ones”, says Arran Director Drag, Hamarøy: Very few people had heard about Tysfjord municipality in Nordland, Norway before the revealing of a series of child abuse cases placed the municipality firmly on the map. Árran Lule-Sami Center is still working with the aftermath of it all.
The High North Tour 2021: Have Invested NOK 200 Million in New, Modern Factory Sortland: Backed by local owners, Vesteraalens has in recent years invested more than NOK 200 million in a state-of-the-art factory. New production lines and new products are in place, though the iconic fish balls are still a vital part of production.
The High North Tour 2021: “I Went to School to Learn Kven” Skibotn: “In Skibotn, Finnish, Kven, Sami and Norwegian culture meet. It was only fair that I had a lesson in Kven when visiting Storfjord municipality on the Kven National Day”, says Arne O. Holm.
The High North Tour 2021: Will Spend NOK 1 Billion on Andøya Space Andenes: Northern Norway is filled with high-tech international companies. At Andøya Island in the Vesterålen region, Andøya Space is facing giant investments in new rocket technology and contributes to continued growth in North Norwegian space technology.
The High North Tour 2021: Photographer Martin Losvik – From Nomad to Contemporary Archaeologist Valnesfjord: “Security disappeared early on, so I am well trained for working from my home office”, says photographer and artist Martin Losvik from Valnesfjord, Nordland county. He has lived like a nomad for years. Now, he works on what he refers to as contemporary archaeology in his own immediate environment.
The High North Tour 2021: This Museum Will Affect the Future of Vesterålen Sortland: Sortland Museum takes a new route to attract children and youth. Rather than focusing on the past, the museum has taken measures to affect the future of the Vesterålen region. Director Ane Høyem spearheads the project called Gaia.
The High North Tour 2021: “I Find That Very Provoking” Stø, Northern Norway: “In order to make unemployed youth work in the fish industry, some argue that they should keep their unemployment benefits on top of the wakes they make in the industry. That provokes me a great deal, I must honestly admit”, says foreman Leif Godvik at the Gunnar Klo company.
The High North Tour 2021: «It was Urgent for Months» Valnesfjord, Fauske, Nordland: Han Sylte is not just a start-up entrepreneur. It is a universe of its own. When the pandemic hit, Mathilde Winther had invested heavily in new buildings. “All of a sudden we had no money to pay the mortgage. It was a matter of urgency for months.”
The High North Tour 2021 The High North: For almost a year, journalism has been done from the desk in our own homes. Apart from sports journalism, that is, which appears to be exempt from all regulations. Whether or not we have been hit by a pandemic outbreak will soon be the only thing we know about each other.
