Dear BarentSaga Readers! The Barents Region is attracting more attention than ever thanks to its abundance of natural resources and new transport potentials as the Northern Sea Route is moving from experiment to becoming an established time and energy saving route of transport. The Chairmanships of both the Barents Euro-Arctic Council and the Barents Regional Council have a clear focus on how to explore these potentials in the best interest of the Barents Region. Read more about these activities here in BarentSaga. It is very easy to get carried away by the Barents industrial potentials, but it should not be forgotten that the Barents Region is also a creative region and home to almost 5.3 million individuals making it the most densely inhabited place on earth in the High North. This was also expressed by the theme “Dare to share” of this year’s Barents Spektakel - the annual cultural festival in Kirkenes. Meet Luba Kuzovnikova, Art Director of the organizer Pikene på Broen, in this issue of BarentSaga. Pictures from Barents Spektakel 2012. An important message this spring is the invitation to all Barents Cooperation stakeholders from the Norwegian Chairmanship of the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC) to contribute to the Declaration that the Ministers will approve in 2013 setting out the future priorities for the Barents Cooperation. Learn more in this issue about the drafting and whom to contact. BarentSaga also features the change of leadership of the International Barents Secretariat and Norrbotten’s activities in environment and Barents youth. A very positive development lately is the decision to establish a visa-free zone in the Kirkenes-Pechenga area as May 29 this year. In addition to being positive for the residents of the area, it is of symbolic importance to the Barents Region and the Barents Cooperation. For this item and other daily Barents news, please visit BarentsObserver. Please, visit www.beac.st for more information on the Barents Cooperation. BarentSaga wishes you good reading! Anna Lund / International Barents Secretariat
Norrbotten - the northern most region in Sweden – is chairing the Barents Regional Council since October 2011. Environment and Barents youth are two priorities with interesting upcoming events. Read more >>
In March a delegation of Russian teachers, tutors and administrators visited Luleå for a workshop and to meet Swedish colleagues active in environmental pedagogics. Read more >>
BarentSaga asked Alexander Ignatiev, Ambassador at Large, to share some of his personal views on the Barents Cooperation drawing from his experiences as Head of the Secretariat. Read more >>
A resource-rich region in Europe is the main theme for the Norwegian BEAC Chairmanship 2011-2013. The point of departure is the growing importance of the Barents Region thanks to the proximity to vast natural resources and the development of the Northern Sea Route.. Read more >>
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The International Barents Secretariat Contact: Anna Lund, Executive Officer anna.lund@beac.st tel. +47 95 97 71 73 Fax: +47 78 97 70 79 P.O. Box 107, 9915 Kirkenes Visiting address: Rådhusgt. 8, Kirkenes IBS Staff www.beac.st