Kirkenes – a Town in Oslo

06 November 2007, Litteraturhuset, Oslo

Formidable plans and challenges facing Sør-Varanger. Is Norway developing a political infrastructure in the north? What would it mean for Norway to have a dynamic hybrid-town on the border to Russia? And what do people in the capital Oslo know about political, cultural and economic processes along the Kirkenes-Murmansk axis? The Transborder Cafe will help shed light on the fascinating Barents Region and arouse interest in an extraordinary melting pot – Kirkenes.

PROGRAMME
12.00 Linda Randal, the municipality of Sør-Varanger
12.10 Thorvald Stoltenberg
12.25 United States of Barents, performance by Amund Sjølie Sveen
12.45 Jens Petter Nilsen: Borders and the attraction of the Russian/Norwegian border
13.20 Steinar Wikan:
13.50 Panel discussion: Development and environmental policy
14.30 Lunch
15.00 Morten A. Strøksnes: A Northern Norwegian glance ahead
15.20 Luba Kuzovnikova/Girls on the Bridge: Kirkenes – city of art and culture
15.40 Felix Tschudi and Lorentz Kielland: New mining? New urban plan?
16.10 Ketil Hansen: Campus Kirkenes, City of Knowledge
16.30 Øystein Rø: Industrial Art/Architecture
16.50 Kjartan Fløgstad: Rock and pyramids

In cooperation with Fritt Ord (Freedom of Expression Foundation) and the Norwegian Barents Secretariat.