Greenland: a blandinavian wet dream

Heard of the Norden Association before? No, I’m not referring to Nordisk – everyone has heard or heard of them. I’m referring to a slightly more sober association than what the Ås bubble is used to. Why am I referencing this sober Nordic association? Because they sent my friend to Greenland! Not to do measurements for Trump’s hot tub (thankfully), but to learn about Nordic cooperation! You think Nordic cooperation and exclamation points have nothing to do with each other? Well, I plan to spend the next 700 words convincing you otherwise.

Writer: Siren Vårvik Matre

Translator: Maria Guldbjørnrud

In case you didn’t know, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland make up the Nordics. Combined, the Nordic countries have the world’s 10th largest economy and 6th largest land area. Not to be messed with, in other words. The Norden Association was founded in 1919 and spans all the Nordic countries. They want to teach the Nordics to exchange culture and language – encouraging flow and frequent communication and interaction internally among the countries. The Norden Association’s utopia is that you can have an efficient chat in a bakery in Denmark, listen to “Händerna mot himlen” while walking home, watch Pippi in Swedish before you step into the sauna, and eat blóðmör for dinner.

In total the association has 30,000 members, of which 6,000 are Norwegian. The 2020 pandemic led to an increase in Norwegian members. The Nordic countries handled the pandemic differently – Sweden was, for example, much more liberal than Norway. Different solutions also resulted in reduced cooperation. Many Norwegians were dissatisfied with the erected fence between the neighbors and felt the need to show solidarity.

Nordjobb is a work platform operated by the Norden Association. There you can apply for jobs in all the different Nordic countries. In addition, they help you find a place to live whether you want to be a tour guide in the Faroe Islands, a soccer player in Greenland, or a strawberry picker in Åland.

The Norden Association is run by local chapters. Their tasks mainly consist of arranging events meant to remind people of the importance of the Nordics. Oslo’s local chapter has, among other things, held a Danish election night watch party and lectures at the National Library. Every year a capital meeting is also held for all members across the Nordics. The purpose of the meeting is to get to know the city, the culture, the people, build networks, and discuss the Nordics’ path forward.

And that is how my friend ended up in Nuuk, Greenland in early March.

With a coffee in hand on a (fairly) sunlit balcony, I chatted with Julie Arctander. She is 21, from Asker, and in her 2nd year of a Bachelor’s in Renewable Energy here at NMBU. It is not so surprising that a childhood full of travel plus organizational life equals the Norden Association.

Arctander had no knowledge of the Norden Association when she came across their ad on Instagram. They advertised two positions for young storytellers to join a trip to Nuuk and document the journey on social media. “It sounds super cool to work for Nordic cooperation, do marketing, and get a chance to experience Greenland,” thought the student and decided to apply. Not long after, she got the news: she and a student from Bodø studying in Trondheim were selected. Nuuk next!

After some logistics meetings and ‘pack with me’ videos, it was just a matter of putting on the “Make America Go Away” caps and hopping on a plane to the world’s largest island. It was a packed schedule the whole trip. In total, eight lectures from various companies and guides, all conducted in a Scandinavian language mix (which Arctander admitted required extra focus). Each day had different themes, everything from culture, gender equality, and youth to defense policy and geopolitics. Fortunately, they also got time to be tourists. A guided bus tour of Nuuk, which Arctander described as “not a pretty city, but an unbelievably pretty location”. They also went on a boat trip that was “completely magical”. The lesson that “nature is king” was truly demonstrated on this trip – everything was governed by weather and wind.

So what is the main message Julie Arctander took away from this slightly unusual early Easter vacation? We must not take Nordic cooperation for granted. The ease of being able to work and live across the Nordic countries is completely unique and must be preserved. The best way to preserve it is to build a relationship with it. You can learn a lot about the Nordics, but ownership is built by traveling around and becoming familiar with the landscapes and people.

Of the whole trip, the first speaker made the biggest impression on the student. With tears in his eyes, the Greenlandic speaker thanked the visitors for being people who care about Greenland, since that has not been a given lately. In general, the Greenlanders were grateful for the Nordic support.

Many of us felt rage when Trump set his sights on Greenland. It feels so close. Would the US have acted differently if the Nordic countries had not shown clear support for Greenland? Interested in learning more about Nordic cooperation? Follow the Norden Association on Instagram: @foreningennorden_norge_oslo.