Program:
19:00: Panel discussion “The Norwegian-Russian Nuclear Cooperation – David and Goliath?”
Did you know that Norway participates in nuclear cooperation with Russia? Just across the border to Russia, you will find the Soviet nuclear plant at Kola and one of the world’s most dangerous and largest accumulations of radioactive waste from Russian military operations. In the event of an accident, people and the environment in Finnmark may be affected by radioactive pollution. Therefore, dialogue and constant monitoring of nuclear facilities are important. However, this requires that the information flow between Norway and Russia is good. But has the geopolitical ice front between Russia and the West affected nuclear cooperation? On what premises is the collaboration founded? Do we depend on the goodwill of the Russians? Do we have the information we need to feel safe? Do the Norwegian authorities have any influence over the Russians? We invite environmental activist Kjersti Album (Naturvernforbundet) that works with Norwegian and Russian nuclear preparedness, and the Russian journalist Anna Kireeva (Barents Press) who has followed the Norwegian-Russian nuclear cooperation. Daniella Slabinski from Nature and Youth’s Russia Project leads the discussion. The discussion takes place in Norwegian.
19:45: Break
20:00: Panel discussion «The people’s Russia vs. Putin’s Russia»
Why is «Putin’s» Russia dominating Norway’s and the West’s perception of what Russia is? What about people’s Russia? The news images are dominated by Russian defense- and foreign policy, while the public discussion about feminism, social rights, and the environment does not reach out to us. Why do we know so little about what is happening in Russian civil society when public protests are going on far more frequently in today’s Russia than before? To help us respond to this, we invite Russian environmental activist Anastasia Kochneva (“42”), Professor of Russian studies Geir Flikke (UiO) and Martin Uggla (Chair of the Eastern Group for Democracy and Human Rights). To lead the conversation, Inna Sangadzhieva from the Helsinki Committee is coming. The discussion will be in English.
20:45: Event ends.