Arctic Centre Annual Report 2023

Annual Report 2023

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Documentary film about the Arctic Centre’s research and working community was produced by RARE Media. Screenwriter was visiting researcher Johannes Roviomaa. The premiere of “Dear Arctic” was held in September. | photo laura ollila The weather was, for once, favourable for the annual ice fishing competition organized for all employees of the Arktikum and Pilke buildings. | photo lisa könig

Editor Anne Raja-Hanhela

Layout & Design Reetta Linna

Cover photo Matti Kantola

Printed by University of Lapland Printing Centre, Rovaniemi, Finland 2024

The weather was, for once, favourable for the annual ice fishing competition organized for all employees of the Arktikum and Pilke buildings. | photo lisa könig

Contents President Sauli Niinistö and the Governor General of Canada Mary Simon emphasized the importance of global co-operation in the fight against climate change while visiting in Arktikum. | photo kaisa sirén Year 2023 was busy in terms of event organization. Two big conferences and several other seminars were hosted by the Arctic Centre. | photo anne raja - hanhela

From the Director Expertise

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Publications Arktikum

Events and Seminars

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From the Director

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photo santeri happonen

When looking back at the year 2023, I feel thrilled to rent 17-year-old exhibition “Arctic in Change”. The sum up Arctic Centre’s achievements. brand-new exhibition “Polar Opposites” is estimated to February brought us distinguished guests as the open to the public by the end of 2024.

President of the Republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö and Throughout the year, the entire Arctic Centre’s the Governor-General of Canada, Mary Simon visited research publication activity has been remarkable both Arktikum. In their talks to university students, both in quantity and quality. While ongoing projects keep on heads of state encouraged global producing good things, we have also co-operation in the work against clisucceeded in getting a lot of new Throughout the year, mate change. research funding. the entire Arctic Arctic anthropology received The year 2024 begins by stepping Centre’s research notable attention during the conferinto a new research organization. ence of the Finnish Anthropological Four research programmes are publication activity has Society organized by our Arctic Anthrolaunched with already well-estabbeen remarkable both pology Research Team. The conference lished disciplines and some new in quantity and quality. gathered altogether 300 participants emerging ones. This is our way to and it was a great success. respond to the elevated need to Talking of success stories, the Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit strengthen the sustainability and resilience of the Arctic, Conference process is one of those. It has established its the changed geopolitical situation and thus research role as Finland’s leading Arctic event. The 6th conference opportunities. was organized by Arctic Centre’s science communication Our new research disciplines will be supported by team in November with the main theme “Towards New new strategic recruitments in 2024. The Arctic Centre Horizons”. Many Arctic Centre key partners contributed will also have a new Board and a new Scientific Advisory to the content, as did our whole research community.

Board, as the current ones finished their period at the The next Arctic Spirit Conference will probably be hosted end of 2023. Many thanks to the members of both in spring 2025. boards.

Renewal of the permanent exhibition of our Science Honoured to be the Director of the Arctic Centre, Centre is well on its way and continues as planned.

In Easter 2024 we shall close the doors of the cur-

Johanna

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Expertise Total funding 4 237 450 €* Basic budget 2 435 834 € / 57 % External funding 1 801 616 € / 43 % *Does not include costs of premises and other general expenses

Person years of work 48,38 Researchers 72,99 % Others 27,01 % (e.g. Exhibition Designer, Science Communicator, Project Coordinator, Administrative Secretary)

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The mass abundance of the common heath took researchers on fieldwork trips to northern Lapland. The extent of the damage caused by the insect surprised the scientists. | photo henri wallen

Visiting personnel

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researchers from 18 countries with average 7,5 months stay

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trainees from 6 countries with average 3,3 months stay

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projects More information:

research.ulapland.fi

Scientific Advisory Board for the Arctic Centre in 2020–2023 had its last meeting in September. | photo arctic centre

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Publications 105 72 17

Scientific publications Professional publications Publications for general public

Blogs Kaikuja Arktikselta – Arctic Echoes www.arcticcentre.org/kaikuja Arctic Anthropology arcticanthropology.org Critical Arctic Studies www.criticalarcticstudies.com

More information:

research.ulapland.fi/en/organisations/arktinen-keskus

The CLIMINI project studied the adaptation of reindeer herding to climate change. The crucial question was how to minimize the adverse effects of climate change. The final report was published in a seminar in May. | photo ilona mettiäinen In his new book Markku Heikkilä shares observations from his 25 years of travels across the Arctic. | photo nicolas gunslay Hannah Strauss-Mazzullo and Monica Tennberg edited a book about the everyday life and adaptation to the changing Arctic climate. | photo anne raja - hanhela

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Three members of Arctic Centre research groups defended their doctoral dissertations in spring 2022 – Joonas Vola of the Northern Political Economy research group, Ayonghe Akonwi Nebasifu of the Arctic Anthropology research group and Mirva Salminen, who has worked on several projects in both the Arctic Governance research group and the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law. | photos birgitta vinkka , anne raja - hanhela , marjo laukkanen

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Arktikum

2023 134 470 visitors 128 454 107 238 103 230

109 301 91 143

2008 80 593 visitors

94 711

77 653

70 369 70 333

72 945

72 216

73 776 57 571

134 470 10

50 335

Visitors in Arktikum 57 % from abroad

The Governor General of Canada Mary Simon visited the University of Lapland in February as part of the program of the state visit to Finland. The Governor General was greeted by Rector Antti Syväjärvi and Director Johanna Ikävalko. | photo kaisa siren

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Science Centre Exhibitions ▪ ARCTIC IN CHANGE | Permanent exhibition

▪ NATURE PHOTOS OF THE YEAR | 28.3.–14.5.2023.

▪ ANTARCTICA – SCIENCE IN EXTREME CONDITIONS Exhibition presenting research and daily life in the Finnish research station Aboa in Antarctica | 16.9.2022–17.9.2023

▪ THE LAPLAND CATTLE – AN ARCTIC CATTLE An exhibition about a local cattle breed well adapted to northern conditions, the Lapland Cattle, its history and the present day | 16.6.–30.9.2023

The Northern Finncattle (‘Cattle of Lapland’) exhibition presented the results of a research project that explored the prospects for the endangered native breed. The exhibition was opened at the final seminar of the project. | photo laurence rouvier

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Events and Seminars ▪ VISIT OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL OF CANADA MARY SIMON AND PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND SAULI NIINISTÖ Discussion event with students about climate change as part of the state visit | 9.2.2023

▪ ANTHROPOLOGY CONFERENCE 2023: RELATIONS AND BEYOND Conference of the Finnish Anthropological Society hosted by the Arctic Anthropology Research Team of the Arctic Centre | 21.–23.3.2023

▪ ARCTIC JUSTICE – ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JUST GREEN TRANSITION Seminar organized by the JustNorth project | 24.2.2023

▪ HOW REINDEER HUSBANDRY LIVES AND CHANGES IN A CHANGING CLIMATE? Final Seminar of the CLIMINIproject | 23.5.2023

Finland’s main Arctic event, the Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit, was organized in mid-November for the sixth time in the history of the conference. This year, the conference themes concentrated especially on Arctic security, not forgetting other topics such as climate tipping points, the green transition and land use, as well as the critical explorations of the politics in the Arctic. | photo marko junttila

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▪ LAPLAND CATTLE SEMINAR Final seminar of the project “How specialization of products and services based on the Lapland Cattle can contribute to northern livelihoods” | 16.6.2023 ▪ ARCTIC CAFÉ: EXPEDITION TO ANTARCTICA | 29.8.2023

▪ ROVANIEMI ARCTIC SPIRIT The biennial Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference was organized for the 6th time with the main theme “Towards New Horizons” | 13.–15.11.2023 ▪ ARCTIC MARKET DAYS Sales event for local handcrafters, producers and artists | 8.–10.12.2023

▪ CONNECTING THE ARCTIC WITH THE THIRD POLE – THE HINDU KUSH HIMALAYA Conference organized in Nepal bringing together experts from both regions | 6.–9.9.2023 ▪ PREMIERE: DEAR ARCTIC First screening of the documentary film that follows the work of six researchers of the Arctic Centre | 14.9.2023 ▪ CRITICAL ARCTIC STUDIES SYMPOSIUM Post-Human Dialogues: Rethinking human-nature relations in and through the Arctic | 10.–12.10.2023 ▪ MATINEE: ARCTIC NARRATIVES Panel discussion exploring contemporary Arctic narratives followed by short film screenings | 13.11.2023

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For the first time ever, the conference of the Finnish Anthropological Society was held in Rovaniemi in March. The event was organized by the Arctic Centre Anthropology team with the help of science communications. The interest was overwhelming, and the event gathered over 300 participants. | photo arctic centre The first Critical Arctic Studies Symposium was organized with the theme “Post-Human Dialogues: Rethinking human-nature relations in and through the Arctic” in October. | photo laura ollila

The first Inter-Polar Conference connecting the Arctic with the Third Pole, the Hindu Kush Himalaya, was organized in Nepal bringing together experts from both regions. The Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (NIEM) was one of the main organizers. The conference was a great success and a starting point for a more durable network of experts exploring Arctic and Third Pole topics. | photo jitendra raj bajracharya / icimod .

Contact Arctic Centre, University of Lapland P.O. Box 122 (Pohjoisranta 4, Arktikum House) 96101 Rovaniemi Finland tel. +358 (0)16 341 341 arcticcentre@ulapland.fi

www.arcticcentre.org

@arcticcentre @Arctic_Centre @arktikumofficial