City in Khabarovsk Krai, Russia

SM Pilyasov

«People who go to the North, to the Arctic with a glint in their eyes, with the energy of youth, with optimism, with a culture of optimism, they are certainly more successful than their peers who stay. Because career opportunities in the North, in the Arctic, are many times greater. This was the case in Soviet times, and it remains the case today».

 

Alexander Pelyasov,

Director General, Regional Consulting Institute, Doctor of Geography, Professor at Lomonosov Moscow State University

Project Coordinator: Tero Mustonen, Snowchange Co-op President

Project Participants: See the partners’ list below.

Brief Information:

The Festival was conceptualized by professional fisherman Olli Klemola, keeper of fishing traditions of Pälkäne, Finland. 

The first Festival took place in Finland in September 2014.

The second Festival was organized on Lena River, Sakha Republic, Russia, in September 2016.

The 2018 Festival was held in Tornio, Finland on September 7-8.

The 2020 Festival of Northern Fishing Traditions is slated for Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra, Russia, in September 2020.

Project’s Goal:

Association of fishermen engaged in small-scale individual fishing, artisanal fisheries and professional anglers representing indigenous peoples and local traditions of both sexes in the territory of the Eurasian North to strengthen their potential and vitality.

Project Objectives:

A full-scale preparation for the third Festival of Northern Fishing Traditions is currently under way and is tentatively scheduled to be held in Tornio, Finland, at the end of August 2018.

Current activity:

2018 Festival was co-organised by the EU – funded Interreg Kesäsiika (Summer Whitefish) project, the Northern Forum, NEFCO, Gaia Foundation and Nordic Council of Ministers.

Lippo 2018 – Festival of Northern Fishing Traditions collected over 75 Indigenous and 70 local fishermen around the world to Tornio, Finland over three days of discussions and demonstrations of cultural heritage, climate change, ecological restoration and other issues related to traditional northern fisheries. We had delegations from the Indigenous peoples and other delegates of Taiwan, Ainu of Japan, Maori of Aoteoroa – New Zealand, Siberia, Greenland, Alaska, USA, UK, Canadian First Nations, Sámi delegates from Finland, Russia and Sweden as well as Finnish and other fishermen around Europe.

Outcome:

Videos, reports and documentation of problematic issues and views of fishermen engaged in small-scale individual fishing, artisanal fisheries and professional anglers representing indigenous peoples and local traditions of both sexes in the territory of the Eurasian North

 

15 Apr 2026

Today, April 15, 2026, the mobile expedition of the North-Arctic Lecture Hall (PESAL), organized by ZVEZDA LLC, arrived in Yakutsk. An official meeting of the expedition participants with representatives [ ... ]

News
15 Apr 2026

On April 14, a meeting took place between the Secretariat of the Northern Forum and representatives of Heilongjiang Transportation Investment International Supply Chain Co. Ltd.

News
08 Apr 2026
Lecture Event in Saskylakh

On April 7, a lecture event organised by the PESAL expedition team took place in Saskylakh.

News
07 Apr 2026

On April 6, the PESAL expedition completed a major leg of its journey, reaching Yuryung-Khaya in the Anabar District. The team was warmly welcomed by the local administration — yet another meaningful [ ... ]

News
07 Apr 2026
PESAL Expedition in Taimyr

The journey to Taimyr began on March 28 in Norilsk, where the team held a four-day lecture series. Over the course of four days, expedition members met with local residents, shared their experience of [ ... ]

News

Upcoming Events

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The events listed and their administration are the responsibility of the individual events organisers.
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Members of the Northern Forum

7th Northern Sustainable Development Forum

II half of 2026
Yakutsk, Russia

COP31 ARCTIC PAVILION

II half of 2026
Antalya, Turkey

Board of Governors
Regional Coordinators Committee (RCC)
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Northern Youth Forum

The Northern Forum Schools Association

The Northern Forum Schools Association an interregional association of secondary general education organizations of the Northern Forum member regions, as well as the regions interested in cooperation with the northern and Arctic regions, and is a structural subdivision of the International Organization of Northern Regions "The Northern Forum".