The Northern Forum is a membership-based international organization. The name of the organization is International Organization of Northern Regions “The Northern Forum”. The short name is The Northern Forum, NF.

The Northern Forum was established on 8 November 1991 in Alaska, USA and the Northern Forum Non-Profit Organization Certificate was issued on 29 November 1991.

Currently, the Northern Forum has 12 member regions: Jewish Autonomous Okrug, Kamchatka Krai, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Magadan Oblast, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Khabarovsk Krai, Khanty-Mansyisk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, State of Alaska (USA), Gangwon Province (Republic of Korea), as well as 9 business partners from the Russian Federation, Iceland, Norway, USA, and Japan. 

Chairing region: Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Yugra, Russia. 

The Northern Forum is an Observer of the Arctic Council, UN Framework of the Climate Change Convention and is accredited in UNEP. The Northern Forum has wide international partnership network.

Mission and Purposes

The mission of the Northern Forum is to improve the quality of life of Northern peoples and support sustainable development of the regions.

Purposes:

• to provide Northern regional leaders and representatives of the regions a means to share their knowledge and experience in addressing common challenges;

• to implement cooperative socio-economic initiatives among Northern regions;

• to organize international forums and implement projects.

Vision

Turning the Northern Forum into an effective, non-alternative structure for interregional international cooperation of the regions of the North and the Arctic, which shapes world politics in this area and is an equal partner of the Arctic Council, the Barents Region, the University of the Arctic, with its own unique niche.

1. To become a global competence center for interregional international cooperation of the territories of the Arctic and the North.
2. To become an effective training and educational organization for its members and partners.
3. To become a platform for innovative projects.
4. To become an efficient bridge between the entrepreneurs and development finance institutions.
5. To become a smart organization through a partner and expert network.

Principles

• The principle of public (“grassroots”) diplomacy.
• The principle of independence and equality.
• The principle of non-discrimination.
• The principle of reliance on neighborhood effects and diversity effects.

Secretariat Official Documents