Pomor Pilgrims to Vardø

The project aim was to show the youngsters from depressing regions common historical past of two northern territories and to demonstrate that the North has huge natural, cultural and economic potential. The Northern territories of Russia and Norway provide all the conditions for life, development and good neighborhood despite any obstacles.

This is the first time the schoolchildren take part in such a project, they are eager to start a dialogue and cooperation with their fellows from Vardø sister-city. Don’t forget that Arkhangelsk has been having trade relations with Vardø for more than 300 years.

Ivan Moseev, the head of ethnic cultural Pomor autonomy and of Research center “Native peoples of the North” has also underlined importance of such cooperation: “These are public organizations which created the project, that’s why it can be called the project of public diplomacy. This is the first youth group that visited Vardø, they must take the first step in crossborder youth exchange between two northern regions”. “

Aetas” youth organization chose those of best pupils in schools in regions where it implements its projects or has local subdivisions. In the end, schoolchildren who participated in the project would propose their own opinions on how their region or city should develop. As the result, many children decided to continue their education after school in Arkhangelsk and join “Aetas” volunteers.

First two days participants spent in Arkhangelsk, where they took part in specially organized trainings and role-playing games which helped them to turn into a close-knit team. Such experience, as it turned out, was hard to overestimate because their trip was full of surprises. Also the teenagers visited open-air museum of traditional wooden art “Malye Korely” and the office of Norwegian Barents Secretariat. In Norway participants met the former politician and famous writer Thor Robertsen, visited the Pomor museum, Witch museum and Vardø fortress. Moreover, they had chance to visit the unique island of Hornøya, where around 100.000 birds nest each summer. At the end of their trip schoolchildren took part in a ceremony around the very symbolic place – Pomor cross. It was installed the last year as a symbol of friendship and cooperation between two cities.

Expedition member Aleksey Lebedev says that Vardø is a remarkable example of a small northern town development, which is known, as well as Arkhangelsk, for its fishery and resource extraction. The young people who live in the North have similar problems which are easier to solve together.

The expedition was organized by Arkhangelsk youth ecological organization “Aetas” and supported by Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of Arkhangelsk oblast and the Norwegian Barents Secretariat.

text and photo: Dmitry Nesterov