UArctic Board met in Rovaniemi, Finland
The Board of UArctic held their spring meeting in Rovaniemi, Finland on April 13-17, 2026. In addition to formal decision-making and discussions, the Board had opportunities to meet with local stakeholders, including representatives of the University of Lapland and the UArctic International Secretariat.
In their meeting, the Board approved the 2025 financial statement and the auditor’s report and discussed e.g. philanthropic fundraising, changes in UArctic's leadership, and latest developments in UArctic Regional Centres. They also approved several items to be presented in the UArctic Assembly meeting on 29 May which will be organized as part of the UArctic Congress 2026 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
As part of their program, the Board also had opportunities to meet with several representatives associated with the University of Lapland (ULapland). They received an introduction to the work and staff of the UArctic International Secretariat, which has been hosted by ULapland since the office's establishment, as well as an introduction to the ULapland Student Union. The Board also joined a roundtable discussion with ULapland researchers.
Finland's Senior Arctic Official and University of Lapland representatives
While in Rovaniemi, the Board also participated in UArctic's 25-year anniversary celebration in Arktikum, marking 25 years since the launch of the network in Rovaniemi in June 2001. In fact, the very first meeting of the UArctic Board was also held in conjunction with the launch 25 years ago, making this a memorable occasion.
Adding to the celebrations, UArctic Secretary General Outi Snellman officially received the decoration of a Knight of the Order of the White Rose of Finland which was conferred upon her already in December 2025. The decoration was delivered to her in person by Finland's Arctic Ambassador Kalle Kankaanpää.