Symposium Overview

For decades the Nordic countries have served as a successful example of modern democracy, where political and economic developments have come simultaneously with the protection and promotion of civil and human rights. This outstanding and unique example that the Nordic countries have set has inspired many regions across the world, leading many countries to partially follow the Nordic framework of development, cooperation, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance.

Representatives from all sectors of the Nordic countries have managed to present the international community with successful strategies in their respective sectors. They have provided successful mediation and intervention; assisting in the eradication of poverty and the promotion of democracy and peace in the framework of many other positive developments.

Symposium Agenda

The Baltic Development Forum and the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance for Human Rights & Global Peace recognize these unique achievements and have therefore developed the Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy in the Nordic Countries in order to explore and analyze Nordic Cultural Diplomacy.

The Symposium will present these achievements to the international community giving them an insight into the Nordic countries and the successful strategies they use. The conference will take place in Copenhagen and will bring together experts from the fields of international relations, diplomacy, politics, economics and the cultural and educational sectors. Specific case studies of Scandinavian Cultural Diplomacy will be reviewed, with particular emphasis on the ability of successful practices of Cultural Diplomacy to improve international relations. The conference will also examine whether the example set by the Nordic countries can be utilized further in regional and international cooperation in the future.

Symposium Locations

Based in Copenhagen, the conference will be hosted at a number of important political, historic, and cultural locations across the city.

Symposium Speakers & Delegates

Speakers and delegates during the symposium will include leading politicians, chief diplomats, leading governmental officials, senior academics, renowned authors, journalists, and celebrated artists. These speakers will include a large number of individuals from the ICD Advisory Board. To learn more about the ICD Advisory Board, please click here.

Speakers for the Symposium include:

Minister Marianne Jelved Minister of Culture of Denmark	SG Dagfinn Hoybråten Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers	President Mogens Lykketoft President of the Danish Parliament
Hon. Bertel Haarder Former Danish Minister (Education, Development, Interior)	The Hon. Halldór Ásgrímsson Former Prime Minister of Iceland	Lene Espersen Chairman, Baltic Development Forum

Symposium Participants »

Participation in the conference is open to governmental & diplomatic officials, academics, artists, journalists, civil society practitioners, private sector representatives, young professionals and students.

Certificate of Attendance - All conference participants will be awarded an official certificate of attendance upon completion of the program, which will provide details of the speakers who took part and the topics discussed.

If you would like to reserve a position and participate in the conference, please click on the link below and fill out the online application form:

Participant Papers »

The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy encourages academic research and analysis of issues related to the goals of the Conference. The ICD would therefore like to welcome the participants of the conference to submit a paper they would like to be considered for presentation at the conference as well as being included in the proposal document that will be issued following the conference and will be sent to all governments and leaders of the international community worldwide.

Sustainable Network »

During the program participants will have a number of opportunities to network with one another, with the speakers, and with ICD Advisory Board Members and partners. Conference participants will become part of the ICD Alumni, a growing international network of people of diverse interests and backgrounds from around the world who share a commitment to intercultural exchange. Members of the ICD Alumni Group will benefit from the following opportunities: Alumni online forum, Advisory Board Networking, ICD support for individual leadership Initiatives, free access to all ICD research, videos and photos as well as other event documentation. Participants will be able to remain in touch with each other through the ICD Networks. (more »)