Together with researchers from Norway, Finland and Sweden the seminar will explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Sámi and Arctic societies. What were the effects of restrictions on the freedoms of gathering and travel, which took place between the Nordic countries? How did these societies meet the challenges of the pandemic, and what can we learn to inform policy in future public health crisis’ in the European Arctic?

The event will be in English. This seminar is a collaboration between the research group Lávvuo at the Dep. of Epidemiology and Global Health, and Umeå Transformation Research Initiative (UTRI), together with external researchers. Translation between Northern Sámi and English will be available.

Please follow this link and fill out the form to book your participation. Physical participants will be provided with coffee and fika during the fika break.

The event will be live recorded and produced by the Umeå University Communications Unit, and will be available both in English and Davvisámegiella (Northern Sámi). To take part of translation between English and Davvisámegiella as a physical participant, please bring a smartphone capable of running Zoom, and a headset. As a digital participant, you will be able to switch between live translation and direct sound from the event. Instructions will be provided to all participants on how to do this.

Schedule:

13:00 - Opening and welcome, Lávvuo Research Group and UTRI.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Sámi society in Sweden, Oscar Sedholm, Umeå University.

Perspectives on COVID-19 in Sami communities in Norway, Gunnhild Skjold, University of Tromsø.

14:00 - Break

14:15 - Experiences from the project “Pandemic in the (sub) Arctic North” - A supra- and crossdisciplinary data collection focusing Norrbotten county, Sámi territories, Swedish side, May-Britt Öhman, Uppsala University and guest researcher Luleå Technical University.

Covid-19 – Perspectives from Northern Finland, Ulla Timlin & Arja Rautio, University of Oulu.

Caregiving of Older Persons during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Russian Arctic Province, Anastasia Emelyanova, University of Oulu.

15:00 - Coffee and fika

15:30 - Panel discussion on Arctic and Sámi health featuring:

Tonje Johansen, the Sami Council

Pekka Aikio, former president of the Sámi Parliament of Finland

Marie Persson Njajta, board member of the Sámi Parliament of Sweden

Sofia Kling, lead coordinator for The Knowledge Network for Sámi Health

16:30 - End note

Moderator: Jon Petter Stoor, Umeå University.

Online moderator: Kristina Lindblom, Umeå Transformation Research Initiative (UTRI).

Read more information here.