In Levi, Finland, the Arctic has spoken: Is the EU ready to take action?
Last week, the small town of Levi in Finnish Lapland became the meeting point for Arctic communities. Indigenous leaders, youth, policymakers, and researchers from across the circumpolar North gathered to discuss challenges and opportunities for the region. What I will take away from the event is that the Arctic’s best asset is its people. Beyond organisational affiliations or birthplaces, it was Arctic residents and enthusiasts who took the stage with passion and conviction.
People are the Arctic’s best asset
Indigenous Peoples called for a fundamental shift: from being seen as stakeholders to being recognised as rightsholders. Mayor Asisaun Toovak of Utqiagvik, Alaska, underscored the importance of Indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination. Youth voices were equally strong. The Arctic Youth Dialogue 2025 brought together 36 young people to work on policy recommendations under the theme “A just and sustainable transition,” covering industry, sufficiency, transport and innovation. Beyond recommendations, they urged leaders to move from listening to governing with them.
A young Sámi activist, Elle Nystad, posed a pointed question: “How can trust be restored between states and Indigenous peoples?” The answer she received from senior Arctic officials – “Speak up, don’t take no for an answer, be stubborn” – left her and the room disappointed. Nystad had been doing exactly that. She was part of a group of young activists who protested for months against the Fosen wind farm, enduring arrests and fines despite a Supreme Court ruling in their favour. On stage, she reflected: “The youth are doing everything they can. Now, it’s time for policymakers and companies to catch up.”
Photo: Soraya Lahlou
Levi bringing the Arctic together on the EU stage
Better known as a ski resort welcoming thousands of tourists each winter, Levi can now add hosting the EU’s northernmost Arctic Forum among its achievements. Organised by the European Commission, the event alternates between Brussels and an Arctic location every two years.
For Päivi Ekdahl, Director of Development at the Regional Council of Lapland, hosting the forum was about more than showcasing the region’s role in a thriving Arctic. She noted that, aside from mining and military issues, political attention rarely reaches the Arctic. This international gathering offered a chance to highlight local concerns.
The forum brought together representatives from Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and the Nordics to answer the question: “What can the EU do for the Arctic?” While participants agreed the EU is a strong provider of funding for development projects, much still remains to be done.
The familiar challenges emerged again: climate change, extractive industries ignoring Indigenous consent, cultural appropriation in tourism, a not-so-green transition, and a lack of traditional knowledge in decision-making. The list is well known but still unresolved.
The way forward for a thriving Arctic
Fully integrate Indigenous representatives in decision-making.
The Interreg Aurora programme offers a positive example: it was co-written with Sámi parliaments, and every funded project must have a strong Sámi anchor.
Respect Indigenous culture.
Tourism, if done well, can support a thriving Arctic. Currently, Indigenous culture is too often commercialised by companies, with little benefit for local communities. As Friðrika Hjördís Geirsdóttir, Director of the Arctic Circle Business Forum, put it: “Economic development and cultural preservation can go hand in hand – but only with fair partnerships, authenticity, and respect for Indigenous rights.” A move away from mass tourism is also essential. Small, place-based businesses should be better supported.
Invest in Arctic attractiveness.
Balancing the economy and sustainability is key. Education should be a priority, to help retain young people or enable them to return to their communities. EU-funded initiatives like the Arctic Urban-Regional Cooperation programme provide a platform for sharing best practices and solutions.
Bring in the private sector as part of the solution?
Though not having direct representatives in the dialogue, businesses play a vital role. Mayor Toovak highlighted the connection: “Without culture, we do not have cities, then no economies. Without economies, we do not have cities, no culture.” She described positive collaboration with oil and gas companies, where revenues return to communities through taxes, infrastructure and dividends for Iñupiaq shareholders.
Mads Qvist Frederiksen of the Arctic Economic Council added that most companies in the region are SMEs. They may not consciously “think Arctic,” but they provide jobs, pay taxes, and ensure people can live in the North, which in these times of geopolitical turmoil, is essential.
Rolf Rødven of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, working group within the Arctic Council, emphasized that: “We are not using the full potential of industry in terms of knowledge and risk assessments. In the end, companies build the solutions.” Research, he suggested, should also reach consumers directly to empower sustainable choices.
Businesses should become part of the solution – provided they commit to sustainability, equity, and local benefit-sharing.
The European Commission, supported by a local team, did a fantastic job in bringing everyone together and fostering an open dialogue, they go back to Brussels with a lot of work ahead.
At times, it felt like the Arctic community was drafting its wish list to Santa: more funding, better infrastructure, a ban on destructive practices, simpler processes, agility in response. I wish to add one more item for future forums: include private-sector voices in the panels. Successful stories exist and deserve to be shared as models for the broader Arctic community.
Dialogue must continue, but implementation is critical – looking forward to future forums, in which the EU will share the achievements to come, through – hopefully – more examples of public-private partnerships rooted in place and respect.
A winter trip prompted Soraya Lahlou to leave France and relocate to the remote area of Lake Inari in Northern Finland. With a background in corporate strategy, marketing and communications, she is contributing to the Arctic’s sustainable development and showcasing its potential on the global stage.
