Finland's leading Arctic conference will take place for the seventh time on 5 - 7 May 2025. Around 250 participants are expected to attend the event. This time the event will take place in May instead of November. 

The conference programme is mainly restricted to registered participants, but the programme on Monday 5 May is open to all and free of charge. The events will take place at the Arktikum House. 

The programme will include a discussion on Arctic policy, short films on maritime issues, an audio comic book launch and a book launch. 
The conference is organized by the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland in cooperation with the City of Rovaniemi and numerous other partners.

Free program at the Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference:

John Nurminen Foundation presents in the JNF Baltic Sea Talks series “Bridging the Oceans”
Monday 5.5.2025 at 13.00–14.00, Arktikum
Language of the event: English

The event will begin with a screening of short documentary films that explore themes related to the Baltic Sea and the Arctic. The screening will be followed by a discussion with invited guests:

Liisa Holmberg (Film Commissioner and CEO, Arctic Indigenous Film Fund), Ilona Mettiäinen (Environmental Social Scientist, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland) and Ulla Rosenström (Director of Marine Environment, John Nurminen Foundation).


Discussion event about the Finnish Arctic strategy
Monday 5.5.2025 at 14.30–15.30, Arktikum
Language of the event: Finnish

Speakers of the event: Director Johanna Ikävalko and Research Professor Timo Koivurova from the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland and Secretary General of the Arctic Advisory Board Nina Brander from the Prime Minister's Office. Discussion is moderated by Aleksis Oreschnikoff from the University of Helsinki.


We Make the Future! Utopias of a Climate-Responsible World 2035 – Arctic Snapshots
Monday 5.5.2025 at 15.45–16.30, Arktikum
Language of the event: English

The launch of the audio comic scenario report produced in the “Climate Responsibility as a Normative Cornerstone of Multilateral Cooperation?” Project is funded by the Kone Foundation and it is led by Sanna Kopra, Research Professor in Arctic Geopolitics and Security.


Book publication event: Once we had the Arctic - Journeys and Stories from the North.
Monday 5.5.2025 at 16.30–17.30, Arktikum
Language of the event: English

In his book, Markku Heikkilä shares insights from 25 years of Arctic travel, from the northern parts of Canada to the Ob River and from Iceland to Alaska. In the event Heikkilä and Chair of the Board of Into Publishing, Risto Isomäki, will discuss the book and its themes.