VISION, 2022

Vision meetings in Maniitsoq and Ilulissat 

Interfolk was coordinator of an idea workshop in Maniitsoq and Ilulissat to get new perspectives on the Nordic Council of Ministers’ vision of the Nordic region as the most sustainable and integrated region in the world in 2030 (VISION 2030),  May - June 2022, supported by the Nordic Culture Contact’s mobility programme.

The involved organisations

The host was:

• Peter Nygaard, chairman of NUKAKA – the association of museums in Greenland & director of Maniitsoq Museum
  
  

The visitors were:

• Bente von Schindel, Secretary General of the National Association of Cultural Councils in Denmark. MA (Danish literature and rhetoric)
• Hans Jørgen Vodsgaard, Chief Executive of Interfolk, Institute for Civil Society. Mag. art. (History of Ideas)

Background and need

It seemed that the new generations have less interest in the Commonwealth or have more eye
for what separates than what can unite us.

We see a need for a renewed collaboration between representatives of the cultural associations, the liberal adult education and the public cultural and educational institutions in the three parts
of the Commonwealth to develop and offer new lifelong learning activities, where people across
genera-tions and across the parts of the Commonwealth can meet to learn about the common
history, and the shared social and cultural values , which can continue to bind us together as
citizens in a future Commonwealth that can make us all richer both economically, socially and
culturally.

The purpose

The purpose was to build new contacts, exchange experiences, compile knowledge, and plan
innovative co-creation both in Greenland and Denmark between public culture institutions and
civil society associations, citizen groups and new audiences in the cross-cultural field of heritage
and arts, ,where we focus on our shared Nordic values in the Commonwealth (Rigsfællesskabet)
with reference to the Nordic Council of Ministers’ ”Nordic Talks” and their vision that the Nordic
region is to be “the world’s most sustainable and integrated region in 2030”.

We intended to promote new forms of citizen-to-citizen dialogue and people-to-people contacts
about our “Nordic values” and our future together as brother people that are based on openness
and understanding of the specific history and needs among the peoples of Greenland.
Which we see a strong need for, because the Nordic region may risk a “disintegration” in 1-2
generations time, if Greenland due to a strong wish of national independence and a growing
importance in big politics may withdraw not only from the (Danish) Commonwealth, but also from the Nordic realm and EU,; and instead build new closer Anglo Saxon and Transatlantic relations to the US and Canada.

The activities

Peter Nygaard, chairman of NUKAKA, association of museums in Greenland, and director at
Maniitsoq Museum, will be host for a 1-day meeting and 2-day workshop and guided cultural
excursions in September 2021 in Maniitsoq.

Thereafter the two visitors have the ferry: the Arctic Umiaq Line from Maniitsoq to Ilulissat to visit the Art Museum and the Museum of Knud Rasmussens and the nearby Ilulissat Icefjord, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Outcome

The new contact opened for a cooperation in more follow-up projects, like

• The Nordplus Adult development project: “Map and develop the civil society cooperation in the Danish Commonwealth” (COMMON), Aug 2022 - July 2024. (24 months)

  See https://www.ngo-network-nord.com/  and the presentation here

  
  
• Symposium in Torshavn, June 2023 on how to strengthen the cooperation between cultural associations from the former Vest Nordic Commenwealth with participants from Norway, Iceland, Faroe Island, Greenland, and Denmark.   The Symposium was suported by the Swedish Clara Lackmann Stiftelsen.

            See the presentation of the Symposium here.