During the conference, BRYC representatives contributed to panels including “The significance of culture for youth to settle, live and thrive in the High North” and “How to make a High North career attractive for the next generation”, highlighting the role of youth in shaping the future of the region.
Bringing together participants from northern Norway, Sweden and Finland, the discussions focused on how to sustain meaningful cross-border youth cooperation in a changing political landscape. A key topic was how BRYC can adapt its role and remain a relevant platform for youth engagement moving forward.
Participants emphasised the importance of maintaining strong networks across borders and ensuring that youth voices continue to be included in regional dialogue and decision-making processes.
“We see a clear need to continue working together across borders, even in a more uncertain political context,” one participant noted. “Youth cooperation is not only about projects, but about building understanding and long-term connections.”
A central part of the discussions also addressed the future organisation and mandate of BRYC. Participants explored how the council can evolve structurally and strategically in response to changes in the framework for Barents cooperation.
The discussions at High North Dialogue also reflected broader developments in the North, including increasing attention to natural resources, industrial development and land use. In this context, Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide has recently highlighted the need to address challenges related to competing interests and the use of land and resources in the region.
Participants underlined that these developments make it even more important to include youth perspectives in discussions about the future of the North.
“Young people are directly affected by decisions made today, whether it concerns industry, environment or regional development,” another participant said. “It is essential that our perspectives are heard.”
BRYC will continue its work in the coming months, with a focus on strengthening cooperation, supporting youth engagement, and contributing to discussions on the future of the Barents Region.
Already in May, a workshop is planned with the aim of discussing the future direction of youth cooperation in the Barents Region. Later this year, the annual Generation Barents event will take place in Oulu in the last week of October, focusing on culture in close cooperation with the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture programme.
