Launched just last year, Nord 55° aspires to promote collaboration and strengthen shared Nordic values within culture and media. “Our mission has never been more important”, the initiative states on its website.
In the latest Nord 55° newsletter, Christian Have, one of the initiative’s founders and a board member, highlights the crucial role of culture and media in shaping Nordic identity and fostering democratic dialogue. “The intersection of culture and media is where our stories are shaped, our values shared, and dialogue created – and it is here we must find solutions to some of today’s greatest challenges in a world marked by change”, he writes.
While recent developments, such as Amedia’s acquisition of Berlingske Media, reflect increasing collaboration across Nordic borders, Have expresses concern about regional trends. He points out the cultural budget cuts in Finland, reduced funding in Norway, and declining cultural coverage in Denmark that underscore the urgent need to strengthen the cultural and media infrastructure across the region. “This regrettable development highlights the urgent need for us to collectively invest in our cultural and media infrastructure to ensure it can withstand the challenges of our time”, he notes.
Concluidng his remarks, Have points to Amedia’s CEO Anders Opdahl’s perspective, envisioning the Nordics as a global counterbalance to the dominance of tech giants with a vision of the Nordics as a global counterbalance to the dominance of tech giants, promoting creativity, innovation, and democratic values.
The initiative originated at JP/Politikens Media Group and includes major media organizations from across the Nordic region. It is further supported by a range of Nordic foundations, partners, and businesses. Nord 55° plans to host annual summits that will bring together leading Nordic thinkers, artists, and opinion leaders to foster dialogue and collaboration. The first summit is scheduled for autumn 2026.
This year, on 13–14 May, Nord 55° will host a pre-event at JP/Politikens Hus titled “A Call to the Nordic Region”. Featuring prominent Nordic speakers and artists, it will explore the region’s role in a rapidly changing geopolitical context, where collaboration across the Nordic countries is more important than ever. The program will be available soon on https://nord55.org.
Image: Nord55°