Oskal Meets Finnish Foreign Minister, Rovaniemi

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Written by Philip Burgess

Tuesday, 06 October 2009 15:27

International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry Director Anders Oskal and EALÁT Project leader Svein Mathiesen were in attendance at the 20th anniversary of the Arctic Centre in Rovaniemi, Finland last week. Oskal took the opportunity to gift the Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb a copy of the book EALÁT. Reindeer Herders Voice: Reindeer Herding, Traditional Knowledge and Adaptation to Climate Change and Loss of Grazing Lands.

Oskal and Mathiesen also listened in to Stubb's keynote address to the event where he touched on a number of the hot button issues of the Arctic and Finland's position in it.

Stubb called for a new Arctic strategy for Finland, an enhanced role for the Arctic Council so that it could become a truly 'Global' forum and that the European Union should become an Observer to the Arctic Council. Stubb called for a stronger European Arctic policy was needed and that Nordic experience should play a key role in this expansion. Finally Stubb called for the need for Finland to develop a stronger Arctic policy of its own.