UArctic celebrated 25th anniversary in Rovaniemi, Finland
On April 14, the UArctic International Secretariat organized a local celebration in honour of UArctic’s 25-year anniversary, counting from the launch of the network.
About 40 people gathered in the Arktikum museum and science center in Rovaniemi, Finland to wish UArctic "happy birthday”. The event also doubled as a celebration the numerous partnerships forged during these 25 years at the University of Lapland for the sustainable development of our region.
Finland’s Senior Arctic Official Kalle Kankaanpää, University of Lapland Rector Antti Syväjärvi, and UArctic President Lars Kullerud all gave short speeches at the event, with introductions by UArctic Assembly Chair Liisa Holmberg. Kalle Kankaanpää highlighted the importance of academia and research in Arctic cooperation, lifting up UArctic as "a brilliant example of how academia can contribute in increasing knowledge, laying a solid scientific basis for any discussion or decision concerning the Arctic". Referring to the familiar phrase "what happens in the Arctic does not stay in the Arctic”, he also noted that "with the help of UArctic, as we know what happens in the Arctic, we can better understand the fundamental change we are witnessing."
In his speech, Antti Syväjärvi spoke about the important partnership between the University of Lapland and UArctic which has continued for many years and how he has seen the network grow and develop, and finished the speech with a toast to many good years of cooperation to come. Concluding the round of toasts, Lars Kullerud thanked the University of Lapland for their stable support, helping UArctic get to this point in our history, as well as all those who have worked to make UArctic possible throughout the years.
UArctic’s launch took place at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi in June 2001, in conjunction with the first Senior Arctic Officials’ meeting during Finland's first Arctic Council Chairship. Instead of organizing one big anniversary celebration, we are using the opportunity to highlight the 25-year anniversary throughout 2026 in different ways. The celebration on April 14 coincided with the UArctic Board meeting in Rovaniemi on April 13-17. This also marked a milestone: the first meeting of UArctic's Board was held in Rovaniemi in conjunction with the Launch in 2001.
Read more about “UArctic at 25” in the celebration message written by UArctic Secretary General Outi Snellman: www.uarctic.org/about-us/uarctic-at-25/
