2_1_ScanMag_79_August_2015_Text.qxp_Scan Magazine 1 06/08/2015 17:30 Page 88
Scan Magazine | Conference of the Month | Norway
Conference of the Month, Norway
Runde – the natural meeting place The title is appropriate in so many ways, as Runde’s stunning location brings you as far out to sea as possible without getting your feet wet, making it a natural meeting place in many ways. While Runde Environmental Centre’s main task is as a research centre, it is becoming increasingly popular as a meeting destination due to its magical location and interesting research, which they are very happy to share. By Helene Toftner | Photos: Runde Environmental Centre
Runde Environmental Centre is a meeting and conference venue that is out of the ordinary. Initially established as a research centre for climate, marine pollution and seabird monitoring, among other areas, it also offers top-notch meeting facilities and accommodation. Thus, it is a place for companies and people who wish to combine meetings in a calm environment; unique natural experiences, and gain expert insights into the wondrous surrounding nature. “It is a natural meeting place, both in the way that nature is all around both inside and outside the building walls, but also a
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place people feel relaxed,” manager and maritime researcher Nils-Roar Hareide says. A little piece of Shangri-La It is said that the world is running out of Shangri La-kind of destinations, the fictional place described in the novel Lost Horizon in the 1930s, often used to describe earthly paradises far from the outside world. While Runde centre is not isolated from the rest of the world, as much as it may look it, it can easily be argued to be an earthly paradise. The research and conference centre is situated
on Runde Island, a small island south west of Ålesund in Norway’s fjord region, with a stunning view both of the Norwegian Sea and the dramatic nature inland. With the location as its starting point, there is little wonder why nature is important in all that the centre offers. Combining nature experiences with new knowledge “One guest noted that you can have a smashing meal at any restaurant in Oslo or London, but one cannot get the sense of a thousand birds leaving their nests at once, or sprays of the ocean covering your face the way you can here,” Hareide says. The guest captured the main factor which makes people come back for more, but while the experiences are important, Hareide also stresses sharing knowledge. “Our scientists working at the centre are very happy to talk about our fascinating research.”