New synergy

Solutions local, together -conference has been speeded up by a workshop last week. In the workshop the content of the conference was further developed by representatives from different levels. It was fascinating to see how the interaction between the different representatives describes really well the state of the sustainable development in the Baltic Sea Region. Common will with several approaches to reach it.

Baltic Sea Region can be described as a huge web with different networks that are interlined with each others. The amount of strategies that aim to guide the development is numerous and it is sometimes very hard to see the red line that would run through all of them. If we add to it also the plans of the local levels, we are definitely going to be exhausted and most likely also confused. If we limit the look at the Nordic countries, we are most likely to see some similarities and common challenges. These are the areas that the conference will focus on.

One important aspect to the sustainable development is the role of the media in relation to the citizens, decision makers and science. The common language is still in many cases missing and for this we are in need of tools that would enlighten the Baltic Sea web for all of us. It remains to be seen if we are able to find solutions for this too in one years time!

Essentials

The biggest environmental act is not to organize a conference at all, as the most of the CO2 emissions are caused by the travel to the conference. But why do we have so many conferences and how could those be compensated?

Everyone knows that nothing really can compensate the true meeting of people. Through the online presentations and video conference facilities, one is not able to reach the essentials of a good meeting. Facts can be received without moving anywhere from your computer, but only a fragment of following essentials:

• atmosphere that changes according to the composition of people and the facilities around.
• random meeting of interesting people
• impressions received through different senses
• feeling of togetherness, support from the like-minded
• ideas that are generated through the right timing and content

A huge challenge is to create a conference that is not just a meeting, but an event that is an important part of several ongoing processes. It can be a finish of something, but as well a beginning of something new. In the Solutions local, together – conference we are at the moment combining these ongoing processes in order to create a unique synergy on several levels. It is fascinating to realize that so many actors have become enthusiastic about the event. I have the feeling that Solutions conference has all the potentiality for becoming a milestone in the development for sustainable Baltic Sea Region.