Arendalsuka 2025 – A Week of Dialogue, Knowledge, and Arctic Flavors
For the fourth year in a row, the NOMAD Indigenous FoodLab returned to Arendalsuka, creating a unique space where Arctic perspectives, Indigenous voices, and culinary traditions met in the heart of Arendal. From August 11–15, 2025, visitors found our Lavvo at Kittelsbukt, where lively debates, meaningful conversations, and traditional Sámi food welcomed participants from across Norway and beyond.
Throughout the week, the FoodLab hosted sessions highlighting the pressing issues shaping the Arctic and northern regions – from geopolitics and security policy to Indigenous rights, climate change, and sustainable infrastructure. Meanwhile, Sámi chefs offered guests a taste of the North with a special menu featuring reindeer, whale, seal, fish, and Arctic berries.
Opening Session: Norge en Havbunnskjempe – Muligheter og Ansvar
The week began with a powerful conversation on Norway’s role as a seabed giant, exploring opportunities and responsibilities linked to marine resources.
Panelists included: Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Veslemøy Hedvig Østrem, Editor-in-Chief, Altinget; Tor Eldevik, Head of Department & Professor of Oceanography, University of Bergen; Tina Schoolmeester, Strategic Lead, GRID-Arendal; Lars Kullerud, President, University of the Arctic (UArctic); Brigt Dale, Research Professor, Nordlandsforskning
Reindeer Landscapes: Learning Across Boundaries
Another highlight was the session hosted by ICR and NIVA, focusing on the management of Norway’s wild and domestic reindeer. This dialogue created a much-needed meeting place for knowledge exchange between Hardangervidda and Finnmark, with discussions on sustainability, rights, and the future of reindeer landscapes.
Speakers included:
Kathrine I. Johnsen, Senior Researcher, ICR/NIVA (Moderator)
Issat Turi, Reindeer herder from Finnmark
Per Helge Sekse, Landowner, Hardangervidda
Widar Skogan, Director, Department of Reindeer Husbandry, Norwegian Agriculture Agency
Sources of Truth: Geopolitics, Climate Science, and Indigenous Rights
In one of the most thought-provoking sessions of the week in the FoodLab, ICR Director Anders Oskal joined a panel on whether Arctic geopolitical narratives risk sidelining climate science and Indigenous rights. The discussion raised urgent questions about the stories shaping the High North:
Who gets to tell them? How can we balance state-centered security concerns with scientific openness, international cooperation, and human rights?
In an increasingly fragmented world, what does it mean to strive for collaboration, reconciliation, and understanding?
The session brought together diverse voices – from Indigenous leadership to climate research, media, and politics – sparking deep reflections on how narratives influence policy and priorities in the North.
A Week to Remember
The NOMAD Indigenous FoodLab at Arendalsuka 2025 once again proved to be more than a gathering place – it was a platform for dialogue, cultural exchange, and shared learning. By combining the warmth of a Lavvo, the taste of Arctic food traditions, and the urgency of global challenges, the FoodLab created a space where difficult questions could be asked, and new connections could be made.
We thank all participants, speakers, organizers, and guests for making this year’s FoodLab such a success.