The Norwegian delegation includes 20 members of the Storting, and is led by delegation head Michael Tetzschner.

“I look forward to a broad Nordic debate on many highly topical questions, including the refugee crisis, relations with Russia, the new sustainable development goals and how to achieve closer co-operation among the Nordic countries,” said Mr Tetzschner.

The session’s agenda also covers a number of other topics: hazardous chemicals, cross-border obstacles, the essential role of civil society in the Nordic countries, young people’s mental health, wage imbalances between women and men and reinforcing co-operation with the Sami Parliamentary Council.

President of the Storting Thommessen to speak

The President of the Storting, Olemic Thommessen, considers this an important opportunity to address leading Nordic politicians, and will hold a speech during the general debate on Wednesday 28 October . 

Mr Thommessen will also attend a meeting with the other Nordic presidents of parliament, where they will discuss topics including the role of the Nordic countries in a globalised word and security challenges. The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Anne Brasseur, has been invited to attend the meeting.

“Following the deeply tragic events in Trollhättan in Sweden, it is important that we, the Nordic presidents of parliament, discuss hate crime issues with Anne Brasseur, who has taken the lead in condemning these despicable crimes,” Mr Thommessen observed.

The refugee crisis and sustainability goals

UN Under-Secretary-General Christian Friis Bach will open the debate on international politics in Reykjavik on 28 October. The refugee crisis is being discussed in the context of the UN global sustainable development goals.

A thematic question and answer session is being arranged for the first time this year. The panel will include Nordic members of parliament and ministers of the environment.

The Nordic Council Prize Award Ceremony

On Tuesday 27 October, the Nordic Council’s five prizes in literature, children and young people’s literature, music, film and nature and the environment will be awarded at the Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall.

The ceremony, which will be hosted by the Danish actress Charlotte Bøving and her Icelandic colleague Ólafur Egilsson, will be attended by nearly all the nominees. The winners will each receive the Nordic Council’s “Northern Lights” prize statuette and DKK 350,000. The ceremony will also be streamed live on the norden.org website.

The Nordic Council is the official inter-parliamentary body for the Nordic region. The Council’s autumn session is the annual forum for political debate between the Council and the Nordic governments, represented in the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The session can be followed on Twitter at #nrsession and #nrpol.