Business & Burger at Kirkeneskonferansen 2025
ProTromsø hosts Business & Burger yet again with a jam-packed audience present
Kristian
- 23. may 2025
The Kirkenes Conference is one of the most important annual meeting places in Norway, focusing on geopolitics, business development, and cross-border cooperation in the Arctic.
Since its launch in 2008, the Kirkeneskonferansen has grown into a central dialogue forum where high-level politicians, researchers, business leaders, and civil society gather in Kirkenes, just a few kilometers from the Russian border. The conference highlights geopolitical trends, security issues, and economic opportunities in the north, with a particular emphasis on cooperation across Nordic and Barents borders.
As part of this year’s program, ProTromsø and partners hosted a special side-event: Business & Burger – live podcast recording with Det store bildet. The store bildet, led by Eirik Bergesen and Sofie Høgestøl, is Norways most-streamed political podcast.
In front of a jam-packed audience, the evening was opened with an energetic musical performance by Julie Alapnes and Halvard Rundberg, setting the tone for the evening to come.
The discussions were moderated by political commentator Eirik Bergesen, host of the podcast Det store bildet. The first panel, “What now for Northern Norway?”, brought together regional leaders: Wenche Pedersen, Mayor of Vadsø, Hans Jacob Bønå, County Mayor of Finnmark, Magnus Mæland, Mayor of Sør-Varanger, Gunnar Wilhelmsen, Mayor of Tromsø and Glenn Berggård, Vice Chair of Region Norrbotten in Sweden. Together, they explored the pressing challenges and opportunities facing Northern Norway, from demographic shifts to industrial development and cross-border cooperation.
The second panel turned the spotlight on geopolitics in the High North. The conversation began with insights from Hans Jacob Bønå and Thomas Nilsen of The Barents Observer, before expanding into a broader discussion featuring Kari Aga Myklebost from UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Anastasiia Lapatina from Lawfare Media, and Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Marianne Sivertsen Næss. Their dialogue highlighted how global tensions intersect with local realities in the Arctic, and how Northern Norway must navigate its role between everyday community life and the shifting geopolitical landscape.
Thanks to everyone who spent the evening with us!
The side-event was made possible through the collaboration of UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Orinor AS, Team Nordic Arctic, Finnmark County, and The Barents Observer.
The Team Nordic Arctic is a project funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Arktis 2030. The goal of the project, led by ProTromsø, is to strengthen the North Nordic region through business collaborations. The project aims to enhance the cooperation between Norway, Sweden and Finland in the Arctic by applying Norwegian know-how on Arctic society, business, and knowledge.
The overall goal of the project is enhanced Nordic cooperation in the High North in difficult times. We aim to strengthen the Arctic communities in the Nordic countries through sustainable business development, recruitment of youth talents and the inclusion of indigenous people and minorities. One of the main work packages includes Arctic Business Matchmaking in each of the three partnering countries, held in Oulu, Finland, Umeå, Sweden and Tromsø, Norway.
If you wish to hear more about participating in the project or in the B2B matchmakings, please contact project manager Julie-Helene D. Sørensen at julie@protromso.com
