Sustainability expert and doctoral researcher Auni Haapala has started work as a planner in the CAP-SHARE project of the University of Lapland on 14 April 2026. Haapala will participate in the implementation of the project's workshops and other activities and produce project content, such as educational materials and policy recommendations, related to strengthening the participation of young people and local communities in the Arctic region in biodiversity issues.

Haapala's background is in multidisciplinary environmental research. She has previously worked in research and development projects dealing with the impacts of climate change at, for example, the City of Helsinki and the Finnish Meteorological Institute, examining in particular the intersections of land use, climate change and inequality. Since 2021, Haapala has been delving into local and regional environmental governance issues in the Arctic region as part of her doctoral research at the Gender Studies Unit of the University of Lapland.

The central objective of the Interreg NPA-funded CAP-SHARE project is to strengthen the agency of young people and local communities as well as intergenerational communication on issues of strengthening biodiversity in the Arctic region. In addition to the University of Lapland, the project – which runs until 2027 – is implemented by the Icelandic Museum of Natural History (coordinator) and the Norwegian Arctic Frontiers.

Vesa Orassalo’s panel speech 
 
Tiõrv! 

We have the pleasure and honour to publish Vesa Orassalo’s speech at the CAP-SHARE panel Intergenerational Capacity Sharing: The Connection Between Nature and Youth. The panel was held at the Arctic Frontiers conference in February 2026 in Tromsø, Norway.

The speech was originally given in Finnish, and it has been translated into English, Northern Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi.
 
Panel speech: Tiõrv! 
 
Vesa Orassalo, Skolt Sámi Fisherman and Preservice Teacher, University of Lapland

Tiõrv!
 
I was given a wonderful opportunity to attend the Arctic Frontiers 2026 conference in Tromsø. In this article, I will tell you about my participation in the CAP-SHARE panel discussion. The topics discussed include the Sámi identity, the Arctic and education.
 
First, I want to tell you a little bit about myself. My name is Vesa Orassalo and I study education at the University of Lapland. Deep down, I am a hunter and a fisherman. I am interested in the Arctic, the rights of indigenous peoples, and nature and its conservation. I come from the small village of Neiden in the Skolt Sámi region at the border of Finland and Norway.
 
The timing for the conference was perfect, as on 6 February, we celebrated the Sámi National Day. I was invited by the CAP-SHARE project of the Faculty of Education of the University of Lapland to participate in a panel discussion on young people’s views on the changing Arctic environment. I also participated in a student forum consisting of students from different parts of the Arctic region. I was also honoured to speak at the True North – Who is the Arctic? event. I was able to speak to a large audience at the event’s final Big Picture event, entitled Stories from the Coast, and I spoke about the changes in salmon fishing from the perspective of a Skolt Sámi youth.
 
CAP-SHARE panel discussion
On Wednesday morning on 4 February, I arrived nearly on time at the Saga hotel where the panel took place. I was not nervous since I was used to the situation and the concept. I had also prepared well for the questions. The topics discussed were biodiversity and the resilience of communities in the northern and Arctic regions. Two young Sámi persons, as well as Icelandic and Greenlandic youths took part in the panel discussion.
 
The first question was addressed to me.
 
What does biodiversity and the resilience of communities mean to you in your everyday life and in your home region? 

For me, biodiversity means a more interesting life. In my region, people enjoy nature in many ways. Older people, such as my grandmother, care for small animals, such as birds and rabbits, where they live. This could be the highlight of their day. As a hunter, I pay attention to aspects of diversity that affect my own way of life. By this I mean that when I see a lot of moles, I know that small predators are hunting them instead of young willow grouse. Dense willow thickets, on the other hand, mean a good hiding and feeding spot for many game animals.

Biodiversity means opportunities for me. Biodiversity and the resilience of communities mean having the capacity to face short-term and long-term changes affecting local opportunities. How does climate change and other challenges, such as overgrazing, mining, forestry, and the green transition, affect nature and how do we keep up with it? How does nature keep up with it?

What does a hopeful, fair and sustainable Arctic future look like from your perspective?

For me, it looks like a region with scars left by the current problems we are facing today. However, the region is recovering. Winters are still freezing cold. Summers continue to be tolerable to biodiversity. Salmon still head up the river to spawn. Drought is not a constant threat. Birds can still hatch in stable weather conditions. Large animals, such as reindeer and elk, can handle the heat.

The Arctic continues to exist as a place we can still recognise.

How do you feel connected to land and water, such as rivers, lakes, coastal areas, tundra, forests, or fells, and how do these relationships shape your identity and vision of the future?

The answer to this question was very similar among all Sámi panellists. In my opinion, this illustrates how we indigenous peoples experience nature as an integral part of our lives.

In my turn, I said that I feel a deep connection with nature. When nature suffers, I suffer too. Even before I started upper secondary school, I told my family and friends that when I die, I want my ashes to be spread into the wilderness. I want to be part of nature forever. These environments and the opportunities they offer have already shaped my future. To this day, every decision I have made has supported my life in the Arctic. Whether it was about school, career or relationships, I always choose the option that will guide me back to nature.

Like a salmon returning to its native river. Like a goose returning to a wild pond after the winter, I will always return to my home region. But first, I must survive the “winter” of my life, that is, university and finding direction for my life.

What role should education play in empowering young people to contribute to protecting biodiversity, adapting to climate change, and strengthening the resilience of communities?

This question was the only one that was directly related to my studies and not to my close relationship with nature. I discussed my bachelor’s thesis in class teacher education entitled “The significance of a positive relationship with nature in education”. My research revealed that especially the positive experiences of nature gained at an early age, younger than 11, are extremely important for the development of a positive relationship with nature, which in turn leads to more positive environmental behaviour.

In my answer, I stressed that teachers and the curriculum have a significant educational impact on young people who will protect the environment and act responsibly. The importance of education is growing significantly in cities and for families that do not have the same opportunity to take their children to enjoy nature as families in smaller localities.

In my opinion, school education and the curriculum should include time spent in nature.

In your opinion, how is information related to indigenous peoples and local information currently included in biodiversity management and policy-making processes?

I agreed with the other Sámi panellists that people and authorities do listen to the locals but not enough. One panellist compared the situation to consulting young people and children. They are asked for their opinion, but it rarely affects the final decision. I brought up an example of authorities ignoring local information about River Tana a few years ago. The locals reported that the location of the dam was bad, but their opinions went unheard.

Today, I am also a deputy member of the Neiden Skolt Council. Based on my experience as a member of the Council, I can say that local opinions are heard on many issues related to biodiversity and nature. However, I do not know how often the locals actually influence decisions and to what extent, because I have only held this position for a short time. Nevertheless, I think that we are moving in a good direction.

Conclusion
Arctic Frontiers was not just a conference for me, but a reminder of why I am doing what I do. Nature, my home region, and its people are not just themes for me – they are the foundation of my life. That week filled me with renewed enthusiasm and the young people I met gave me inspiration and hopefully useful contacts for the future.

If we want a future for the Arctic, we must listen to those who live there. I will do my part to make those voices heard. We must also raise new generations to join our choir.

I am incredibly grateful to the CAP-SHARE project for allowing me to participate in the conference.
 
Vesa’s WHO IS THE ARCTIC speech on YouTube:
 https://www.youtube.com/live/LEoZ7u-EOM0?si=De-Z09tvRc4VvMAS

At the beginning of 2025, I had the opportunity to apply for an academic excursion just as I had started working as a project employee in the Cap-Share project at the University of Lapland. I was asked if I would be interested in participating in the selection process for an academic excursion that would take me from Greenland through the Canadian Arctic all the way to the southern coast of Alaska. The excursion, organised by the University of Tromsø, is called Arctic Future Pathfinders – A Journey Through the Northwest Passage. The studies conducted during the excursion focus on environmental changes in the Arctic and their socio-economic impacts from a multidisciplinary perspective. Participants develop both probable and preferable future scenarios for the Arctic region. The journey was planned to take place aboard a sailing ship, although at that time, the duration and full scope of the excursion were still unclear to me.

Thoughts of a sailing ship in the Arctic brought to mind old photographs from books featuring Ernest Shackleton sailing to Antarctica aboard the Endurance, and the voyages of Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen, the first to navigate the Northwest Passage. Without much deliberation or concern for the unknown, I replied simply, “Yes, I’m interested.” I assumed the chances of being selected were relatively low, but the idea of experiencing Northern Canada and Alaska was incredibly appealing.

The first months in my new job during the winter of 2025 were filled with themes of Arctic futures, planning an international collaboration seminar for the project, and organising a session for the Arctic Spirit conference. As winter began to fade and spring inevitably approached, I received the news: I had been selected to participate in the Arctic Future Pathfinders study trip. The idea of traveling along the Northwest Passage felt surreal—I could already picture myself on the deck of the ship, wondering what I would encounter along the way. The journey would take place aboard the s/s Statsraad Lehmkuhl, a sailing ship that has crossed seas for over 100 years. I imagined what it would be like to sail aboard a steel-hulled, three-masted ship built in 1914, following in Roald Amundsen’s footsteps.

The Arctic Future Pathfinders route begins in Greenland before heading toward the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and continuing to the United States along the Alaskan coast. Participants were divided into two groups: Group 1 would sail the leg from Nuuk, Greenland to Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada. Group 2, which I would be a part of, would travel from Cambridge Bay, Canada to Anchorage, Alaska, USA. The route follows the Northwest Passage and transitions through the Bering Strait to trace the Alaskan coastline to the small town of Whittier. Anchorage, the final destination, lacks a deep-water port, so we would travel there by land from Whittier. Whittier is known for its large apartment building where nearly all of its residents live. The building also houses essential services such as a school, a store, and a post office. The only land route to Whittier passes through a tunnel under Maynard Mountain.

The mountains and nature of Northern Canada and Alaska have been a dream destination of mine since childhood. I felt incredibly fortunate that my academic excursion would take place in these landscapes. Preparing for the journey required each participant to complete a long list of individual tasks, including vaccination certificates, a certificate from a maritime doctor, and travel permits such as a visa. The U.S. visa application is submitted online, followed by a visa interview. The interview at the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, Finland was an interesting experience. Entry requirements for Canada, on the other hand, can be completed online in as little as 30 minutes.

One exciting detail revealed in the packing list was the ship’s accommodation: we would sleep in hammocks in a large hall with about 60 other participants. Although the hall is heated, it may be chilly at night. I had anticipated the voyage to be a traditional sailing experience with ship duties, watch shifts, and sail handling—but sleeping in a hammock was a pleasant bonus.

By summer, I had acquired the necessary items from the packing list, and my gear was ready. Group 1 had departed from Nuuk on 5 August 2025, and was already sailing toward Cambridge Bay. However, as August progressed, gray clouds gathered on the horizon of the study trip: the route of the Statsraad Lehmkuhl was changed.

We received a message from the ship stating that ice conditions made sailing through the Northwest Passage too dangerous, and the vessel would instead head toward Bermuda and the Panama Canal. Soon after, we received further updates from Tromsø: the excursion would still take place, but it would be conducted on land. We would travel from our home cities to Edmonton on 26 August, and from there fly to Cambridge Bay at the end of August. We would spend approximately a week in field conditions in Cambridge Bay and travel to Anchorage in early September. The planned return home is scheduled for mid-September.

As I write this blog post, there is only one day left until departure for Northern Canada. Despite the changes, the atmosphere is exciting and full of anticipation—I will experience many new things, and the journey will surely be unforgettable. This time, however, no wetsuit was needed. Reflecting on the connections between Arctic Future Pathfinders and the Cap-Share project, I can conclude with the following: Biodiversity is not only about the diversity of nature, but also about strengthening the bonds between people and places. When students, researchers, and communities from across the Arctic—from Northern Finland to Anchorage—share their experiences and learn from one another during this upcoming journey, new perspectives and hope emerge. Together, we can influence the future of the Arctic region.

Heikki Tiilikka, Junior Researcher, University of Lapland, CAP-SHARE

Buorre iđit. Good morning.
 
My name is Niila-Juhán Valkeapää, and I live in Sápmi—Sámi land. I serve as the Vice Chair of the Youth Council of the Sámi Parliament in Finland. I speak today for my role and that of a generation growing up with ancestral knowledge and urgent new challenges.
 
As many of you know, the Sámi are the only Indigenous people within the European Union. We have our own languages, cultures and traditional livelihoods, all deeply rooted in our land. Nevertheless, today, in our homelands across the North—in Sápmi—our cultural identity, and even our security as a people, face new kinds of growing serious threats.
 
When we speak of security, we do not mean it in the conventional sense of borders or armies. Security means knowing that our culture will survive amidst modern challenges. Our languages will be spoken, and our ways of life will be possible. That our youth will have a future.
 
As Sámi youth, we often ask ourselves:
 
How can our culture survive in a rapidly changing world?
 
What will it mean to be Sámi in the future?
 
These questions are not just abstract concerns; they are genuine and immediate. They touch every part of our lives, from the lands we depend on to the languages we speak.
 
Our cultural continuity is being tested on multiple fronts.
 
One of the most urgent challenges we face is the fragile state of our languages. Some Sámi languages are now spoken fluently by only a few elders. Without substantial and sustained revitalisation, these languages risk disappearing and centuries of Indigenous knowledge, place-based wisdom, and cultural expression with them. Language is not just about grammar; it shapes how we understand and relate to the world around us and is thus a significant part of our people’s identity that would be lost.
 
At the same time, climate change is transforming the Arctic, our home, at a pace that few others experience. In Sápmi, our winters have changed drastically. Crusts form too early, and thaws come mid-winter, making it harder for reindeer to dig for food beneath the surface. What used to be reliable patterns of snow and cold are now unpredictable. These shifts affect livelihoods and disrupt traditional knowledge passed down through generations. For our elders, this is a heartbreaking loss. This unstable Arctic is a new reality that we must adjust to.
 
We are also facing a new kind of threat: one that comes wrapped in the language of sustainability. The green transition, while necessary, often overlooks Indigenous rights. Wind power projects and other infrastructure are being developed on Sámi lands without free, prior and informed consent. When turbines or roads cut reindeer pastures, our livelihoods are compromised, and so is our right to determine our future. Sustainability must never come at the expense of justice.
 
On top of these structural challenges, everyday barriers persist. Complex bureaucratic systems make it harder to maintain traditional ways of life. Discrimination—both subtle and overt—continues to affect Sámi people in schools, healthcare and public life, undermining our safety, confidence and visibility within society.
 
As we imagine the future of the Arctic, we must also redefine what security means.
 
For me, security is knowing that our languages will live not just as subjects in a classroom but as languages spoken at home, online and at the governmental level.
 
Security is knowing that our reindeer can migrate across landscapes that are still intact.
 
Security also means knowing that Sámi identities, with all their diversity and strength, can thrive in a world that respects differences and does not try to erase them.
 
This is what we mean when we speak of cultural survival.
 
Let me be clear: cultural survival is not about clinging to the past. It is about carrying our knowledge forward and adapting it to new realities without losing its heart.
 
To survive culturally, we need healthy land. Without it, traditional knowledge cannot live. When the land is harmed by extraction, fragmentation or climate change, it is not only the environment that suffers; our culture suffers, too.
 
However, we cannot carry this work alone. Governments and institutions must move beyond symbolic recognition. Indigenous rights must be respected in practice. Education must reflect our realities. Furthermore, policies must be created with us, not about us.
 
We are not a minority asking for charity. We are Indigenous peoples demanding our rights.
 
The Arctic is not empty. It is not a frontier. It is our home and has been for millennia.
 
Sámi youth are ready to carry forward the responsibility of caring for the land, our culture, and the future. Nevertheless, we need space. We need support. Above all, we need sovereignty—the right to make decisions about our lives on our terms.
 
Despite everything we face, Sámi culture is not disappearing. It is adapting. It is resisting. It is evolving while led by a generation that carries both the scars of colonisation and the vision of a sustainable, sovereign future.
 
Giitu. Thank you.

Photo: Emma Karjalainen

​My internship supervisors were professor Pigga Keskitalo and postdoctoral researcher Rauni Äärelä-Vihriälä. In addition, project expert Teppo Kuusela from the LUMA Centre Finland, and junior researcher Heikki Tiilikka work in the University of Lapland’s CAP-SHARE team. My internship provided me with the opportunity to familiarize myself with a range of diverse tasks, including assistant duties, communication, workshop design and documentation, and travel arrangements. I was also delighted about the opportunity to participate in the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø, where I represented the CAP-SHARE project at a poster session.

Photos: Jessica Aquino

​ 
The internship helped me to develop my ability to work independently, which required time management, organisation and planning skills in particular. Working in an international project team required good communication and cooperation skills both at remote and in-person meetings. Moreover, cultural sensitivity played a key role in the CAP-SHARE project. When designing workshops, I was able to utilize my understanding of learning processes, theories and models I have acquired during my studies in sustainability education. The background knowledge gained through my studies also supported me in planning and instructing workshops.

Photos: Emma Karjalainen & Heta Makkonen

Overall, my university internship in the CAP-SHARE project offered me the opportunity to gain diverse experience of working in an academic project in an international context. The internship enhanced my competence in sustainability education and strengthened my work-life skills in versatile ways. After completing my internship, I got the opportunity to work as professor Pigga Keskitalo’s research assistant for the rest of the spring, funded by compensation funding received by the Faculty of Education through Keskitalo’s membership in the Strategic Research Council (SRC). Towards the end of the summer, I will continue to work at the LUMA Centre of the University of Lapland, where I will take up the role of a coordinator. My internship in the CAP-SHARE project is an excellent example of developing and enhancing participation of young people and supporting them with their professional development and future careers.


Best regards,
Emma Karjalainen
emma.karjalainen@ulapland.fi

The CAP-SHARE team will be meeting in Rovaniemi and Sodankylä, Finland, from the 5th to the 9th of May. This week of conference, events and workshops is hosted by the Finnish CAP-SHARE team led by Professor Pigga Keskitalo, the CAP-SHARE project leader at the University of Lapland, Faculty of Education, and PhD Rauni Äärelä-Vihriälä, the CAP-SHARE project manager at the University of Lapland, Faculty of Education.

The first part of the week will be in Rovaniemi for the Arctic Spirit conference, starting with a CAP-SHARE session around the theme of “Building Future Security Together: Transdisciplinary and Intergenerational Capacity Sharing for Community Development in the Arctic”. This session will be a place to open dialogue and engage youth, policymakers, and researchers to explore how transdisciplinary and intergenerational collaboration can address critical challenges in Arctic communities. With a special focus on youth voices, the session provides a platform for intergenerational dialogue and actionable solutions to secure the future of Arctic regions.
The session will consist of two keynote presentations followed by a youth-led panel discussion.

Keynotes:

• Niila-Juhán Valkeapää, The Sámi Youth Council, Sámi Parliament, Finland: Perspectives of Sámi youth on cultural survival, identity continuity, and future building in a changing Arctic reality
• Pauli Taulavuori and Aaron Yliniemi, Muonio high school/general upper secondary school: The Boys of Frost from Lapland

Panellists:

• Aaron Yliniemi, Muonio high school/general upper secondary school, Finland
• Freyja Friðriksdóttir, Youth representative, Húnaklúbburrinn youth organization, Iceland
• Jenny Turton, Arctic Frontiers, Norway
• Lauri Kultima, Sodankylä High school/ general upper secondary school, Finland
• Niila-Juhán Valkeapää, The Sámi Youth Council, Sámi Parliament, Finland
• Pauli Taulavuori, Muonio high school/general upper secondary school, Finland
• Rauni Äärelä-Vihriälä, University of Lapland, Finland
• Viljajohanna Salonen, Sodankylä High school/ general upper secondary school, Finland

For more information about the Arctic Spirit session, contact the session conveners:
Rauni Äärelä-Vihriälä, rauni.aarela-vihriala@ulapland.fi
Cécile Chauvat, cecile.chauvat@nmsi.is

After the conference, the team will travel north to Sodankylä municipality, one of CAP-SHARE’s associated partners. There, a workshop will be held in collaboration with Tähtikunnan School, where the team will organize activities with the students around the themes of arctic biodiversity and mapping for local climate scenarios. This is the first step in the project’s second phase: now that the online international workshops are concluded, CAP-SHARE is moving to face-to-face pilot activities in a more local setting, bringing all the work done so far to life. Finally, on the last day, CAP-SHARE will visit Tähtelä Observatorium in Sodankylä. The visit will tie to the theme of the importance of mapping for biodiversity and capacity sharing. Learn more about the Tähtelä Observatorium here.