The Northern Dimension Institute (NDI) organized the Northern Dimension Future Forum on Culture: Creating a better world through cultural and creative crossovers on 15 November 2018 in St. Petersburg, Russia. The event gathered over 50 participants from 11 countries to discuss and share inspiring experiences and lessons learnt on design thinking approach in public service and cultural and creative crossovers addressing societal challenges. The participants represented universities, cultural institutions, NGOs and governmental organizations. The event was moderated by Ms. Signe Adamovica from IdeAllies, Creativity Lab, Demola Latvia, PULSE HUB.
Moderator Signe Adamovica opening the Northern Dimension Future Forum on Culture
The event was opened by professor Riitta Kosonen, Director for the Center for Markets in Transition, Aalto University, and the Lead Coordinator of the NDI. Professor Kosonen gave an overview of the role of NDI in the Northern Dimension policy and supporting the work of the four Northern Dimension Partnerships. In November 2018, NDI organizes four Northern Dimension Future Forums in close collaboration with the ND Partnerships focusing on the jointly selected topics and the work is planned to continue through a three-year-project on a Northern Dimension Think Tank.
Ms. Riitta Kosonen, Director, Center for Markets in Transition, Aalto University, the Lead Coordinator of the NDI
Ms. Birgit Autere Finnish MFA, Prof. Riitta Kosonen, Ms. Ilze Gailite-Holmberg NDPC and Lena Karnovich EEAS
In their welcoming words, Ms. Maija Lummepuro, Chair of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture Steering Committee, Ministry of Education and Culture of Finland, and Ms. Aleska Simkic, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Russia, and Mr. Luka Ezerskiy from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Russia expressed their support to the collaboration in the framework of the Northern Dimension policy and its continuation, as well as the NDI as the bridge-builder in providing a neutral platform for the academia and decision-makers to share and discuss evidence-based knowledge and ensure people-to-people contacts.
Ms. Maija Lummepuro, Chair of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture Steering Committee, Ministry of Education and Culture, Finland
Ms. Aleska Simkic, Deputy Head, Delegation of the European Union to Russia
Mr. Luka Ezerskiy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Russia
The Forum was structured around two interactive sessions – Knowledge Arenas – focusing on two thematic areas: Design Thinking in public services and Solving societal challenges through culture and creativity.
First, we heard three inspirational examples of applying design thinking approach to develop and pilot public services in Estonia, Russia, and Finland. Ms. Tiia Vihand from Estonian Design Centre introduced the design-led innovation methodology and training programmes on design thinking created for the public sector in Estonia. Ms. Maria Stashenko from Design Thinking Center in Moscow presented a civil action bottom up -process of creating services for disabled in the Moscow metro. And Ms. Emilija Veselova from Aalto University in Finland gave an account of the Design for Government masters’ course focused on service design for Finnish ministries together with students and civil servants.
Signe Adamovica, Emilija Veselova, Tiia Vihand, Maria Stashenko, Lilita Sparane and Ilze Gailite-Holmberg in the Knowledge Arena 1: Design thinking in public services moderated discussion
In the moderated discussion, the commentators highlighted the interesting opportunities that design thinking can bring to developing public administrations, work processes and public services. The examples and models created are worth sharing and can create a c basis for new collaboration projects in the framework of the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture.
In the second part of the day, the speakers focused on sharing experiences and successful examples of cultural and creativity projects and opportunities in solving pressing societal challenges such as inclusion of immigrants, health care for elderly with dementia, enhancing sustainable mobility and invigorating depressed areas. Mr. Henrik Haartmann from C:NTACT – an independent theatre and media organisation dedicated to social and cultural integration and education in Copenhagen, Denmark – gave an enthusiastic presentation of a programme created for enhancing inclusion of young immigrants in the society in Denmark through artistic modes of expression with a network of cooperation in several countries (C:NTACT). Mr. Odd Håpnes from Norwegian Resource Centre for Arts and Health in Norway gave an insight into the national training program for health and care workers on music-based caregiving targeting at elderly conducted in Norway. In her presentation, Ms. Elena Belova from International Centre for Social and Economic Research “Leontief Centre” in St. Petersburg, Russia, introduced the international Green Moblity project and the achievements in developing a sustainable mobility in the cities of St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Petrozavodsk and Pskov. Ms. Olga Gracheva refrom the NGO Kaykino introduced outcomes of the Kaykino Creative Projects enhancing multidisciplinary cultural engagement and community well-being through cross-sector collaboration between arts, business, creative industries, community initiatives and local municipal authorities in Volosovsky region in Russia.
Ilze Gailite-Holmberg, Elena Belova, Odd Håpnes, Henrik Hartmann, Olga Gracheva and David Ek in the Knowledge Arena 2: Solving societal challenges through culture and creativity moderated discussion
In the moderated discussion, it was emphasized that artistic projects can have a strong and positive impact not only in cultural sphere, but in all fields of society. It was also pointed out that the best results are achieved when the projects are designed and implemented through cross-sectoral collaboration involving authorities, professionals, NGOs from different sectors together with cultural actors.
The event was organized by the Northern Dimension Institute together with the Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture and financed by the European Commission/DG NEAR and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.
The Northern Dimension Institute is a an open university network, which is coordinated by the Aalto University in Helsinki, Finland, as the Lead Coordinator in cooperation with the Northern (Arctic) Federal University and the St Petersburg State University of Economics in Russia.
Programme of the Event can be found here (pdf)
Presentations made in the forum are available below (Pdfs):
Design in the public sector – case Estonia, Ms. Tiia Vihand, Director, Estonian Design Centre, Estonia
The Power of Empathy: changing city, policies and culture. Ms. Maria Stashenko, Founder of Wonderfull Laboratory, Director at Design Thinking Center, Moscow, Russia.
Design for Government, Ms. Emilija Veselova, Doctoral Researcher, Aalto University, Finland
Social and cultural integration of youth through artistic modes of expression, Mr. Henrik Hartmann, C:NTACT, Denmark
Art and culture in health care in Norway, Mr. Odd Håpnes, General Manager, Norwegian Resource Centre for Arts and Health, Norway
GREEN MOBILITY – towards Сlean, Healthy and Accessible Environment, Ms. Elena Belova, Academic Secretary, International Centre for Social and Economic Research “Leontief Centre” St. Petersburg, Russia
Developing rural areas: Cultural mosaic of small towns and villages, Ms. Olga Gracheva, NGO Kaykino Creative Projects
