12th NUNAMED (October 2025) – A Meeting Platform for UArctic TN Health Researchers and Professionals
The UArctic Thematic Network on Health and Well-being in the Arctic (TNHW) actively participated in the triennial NUNAMED2025 health conference held in Nuuk, Greenland, from 3–5 October 2025. Many TNHW members contributed to the conference not only as participants but also by shaping the program with a broad spectrum of circumpolar health topics.
Keynote speakers included Ingelise Olesen from the Centre for Public Health in Greenland, who addressed ethics in health research, and Lene Seibæk and Annesofie L. Jensen, who spoke on person-centered care. TNHW members served as thematic session chairs and presented their latest research through oral and poster presentations across numerous sessions. Topics ranged from clinical practice to public, mental, and social health, and from population surveys and register-based studies to mixed methods and qualitative research — including community-based approaches and Indigenous-led methodologies.
Highlights from our three TNHW sub-groups include:
• Healthy Ageing Sub-group: Convened the session Outdoor Environment and Healthy Ageing in the Nordic Arctic Region, presenting initial findings from the Nordic Council of Ministers-funded project Arctic Healthy Ageing Communities. The session featured speakers, discussing accessibility and ageing in the Finnish North, Swedish North, Iceland and Greenlandic Sisimiut.
• One Health Sub-group: Contributed to the pre-conference PhD course One Health in the Arctic and hosted four additional sessions during the conference. These sessions enriched the audience’s understanding of how the One Health framework is applied in everyday research.
• Circumpolar Maternal and Child Health Sub-group: Organized two thematic sessions – one on Culturally Safe Maternal Health Care and another with a clinical focus on Perinatal Health in Greenland.
The conference brought together participants from across Arctic regions, territories, and countries — from Alaska to Finland. While the geographic diversity was notable, the majority of attendees were researchers and professionals working within or in close collaboration with the Greenlandic healthcare system.
This year’s conference theme, Education and Future, brought together over 468 researchers, clinicians, professionals, policymakers, and educators to explore how education and research can improve health outcomes across the Arctic. The conference was also honored by the presence of Indigenous Elders and knowledge holders, whose contributions added depth and cultural grounding to the discussions.
The organization of NUNAMED2025 was led by TNHW vice-lead Christine Ingemann and lead Gert Mulvad, in close collaboration with a dedicated and engaged organizing committee. The committee represented the four organizations behind NUNAMED: the Danish/Greenlandic Society for Circumpolar Health, Peqqissaasut Kattuffiat (Greenland Nursing Organization), Nakorsat Peqatigiiffiat (Greenland Doctor Association), and Greenland’s Center for Health Research at Ilisimatusarfik. Many committee members are also active members of the TNHW, and their efforts were instrumental in making the conference a success.
We are proud of the strong TNHW presence at NUNAMED2025 and grateful to all our members who contributed – whether through organizing, presenting, sharing knowledge, or listening. Your work continues to strengthen our network and advance health and well-being across the Arctic.
Read more about NUNAMED2025 here.