28 Oct 2023, 11.00 AM
Welcome to Nordic Talks 2023 on 28 October 28, where experts, scientists, and business leaders from the Nordic countries and the Netherlands will discuss the impact of Nordic outdoor living on society, health and lifestyle. Discover how companies can enhance workforce vitality and well-being.
Leading a healthy lifestyle and spending time outdoors in the nature the Nordic way can have a positive impact on work, study, and health by improving focus and productivity, reducing absenteeism, promoting better time management, reducing stress and anxiety, and improving physical health.
At this event we have the honor to welcome the Nordic Ambassadors to the Netherlands and a row of expert speakers. Sander Schimmelpenninck, author, entrepreneur, and tv-presenter will be moderating. Schimmelpenninck is a Dutch author, entrepreneur, and tv-presenter, currently living in Sweden. We look forward to hearing his insight in both Dutch and Swedish cultures.
The Nordic Chambers and Embassies have organized #NordicTalks as an annual networking event since 2012, allowing us to discuss various, dynamic topics of importance for all the Nordic countries, such as Sustainability and Circular Economy, Gender Balance and Diversity as well as Tech and AI.
We are very excited to collaborate with Nordic Days for the #NordicTalks 2023 and looking forward to meet up with you on October 28, 2023 at Inspyrium in Cuijk.
We are very proud to be joined by the Nordic Ambassadors, who all will share their countries' latest perspective on Nordic outdoor living:
H.E. Ambassador of Denmark, Mr. Jarl Frijs-Madsen
H.E. Ambassador of Finland Mr. Ilkka-Pekka Similä
H.E. Ambassador of Sweden, Mr. Johannes Oljelund
H.E. Ambassador of Norway, Mr Bård Ivar Svendsen
H.E. Ambassador of Iceland, Mr. Kristján Andri Stefánsson
Speakers:
Antti Äikäs is the CEO at Freia, which helps corporate management in areas of leadership development, ability management, and worksite health promotion. He develops working life from an interdisciplinary perspective and will bring the Finish perspective to #NordicTalsk2023. He’s an expert in planning and managing programs that improve workability and health, and in evaluating their effectiveness. During his career, Antti has been improving the well-being of a large Finnish forest organization with great results and has helped company managers of various branches in connecting personnel development to their company strategy and figures. Antti has a unique ability to proactively recognize alarm signals at both individual and company levels.
Johan Faskunger from The Swedish Association for Outdoor Organisations (Svenskt Friluftsliv) has a PhD in physical activity and public health (University of Bristol), and has long experience of working with the promotion of physical activity, public health and community planning. The report in focus for the presentation is a review of the societal benefits and added value of outdoor living, access to recreational areas and effects of programmes and activities by outdoor living organizations. In his spare time, Johan likes to engage in cross-country skiing, running, cycling and other ways to discover the outdoors in Sweden.
Benjamin Brinckmann moved from the Netherlands to Norway in 2012, where he studied environmental science and Norwegian outdoorlife at the University of Southeast Norway(USN). In 2021 he and his father Eric Brinckmann published the book Friluftsliv. Noors buitenleven voor de lage landen (translated to: Friluftsliv, Norwegian outdoorlife for the Dutch lowlands), in which they inspired their readers to learn from the outdoorlife traditions in Norway and make their natural surroundings an active part of everyday life – even in a crowded, urbanized country such as the Netherlands.
Benjamin now lives with his partner and their son in the countryside of Larvik and works as an outdoorlife instructor for the Norwegian Tourist Association (DNT), besides his other occupations of illustration, graphics design and running a fencing club.
Annette Postma is a Drs (equivalent of MSc) in Human Movement Sciences (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam), and networkadvisor Nature and Environment at Alles is Gezondheid, a network-organisation with 3000+ partners aiming for a healthy and happy life for all Dutch residents. She is a true connector between science, policy and practice who wants to accelerate both greening the cities and companies as well as the use of nature by all citizens. Therefore she wrote a review on the health-effects of nature for GP’s and accompanied it with a practical toolkit on healthy lifestyle outdoors. Recently she published a Top10 on nature-inclusive constructing for policy-makers, area-developers and construction companies, because in the Netherlands there is high need for more nature nearby. With her links to (national) programmes as Agenda Nature Inclusive, Healthy Green Cities and Programma Healthy Living Environment she brings specific Dutch challenges and opportunities on outdoor lifestyle and health to the table.
Páll has worked a a coach and a physical education teacher for decades. In his younger years he was active in sports and in recent years he has taken part in triathlons, such as Ironman, the Swedish "Klassiker", Birkebeinet as well as other running competitions. Páll has been the general manager of Ferðafélag Íslands, the Iceland Touring Association, since 2004. It was founded in 1927 with the main aim to facilitate, promote and organize travelling within the country. The association brings together hiking and nature enthusiasts and allows them to experience Iceland in a group of like-minded people guided by locals.
The very first trip the FÍ organized was in 1929, when 31 participants travelled around the country. Now, well over a hundred tours are organized by the Icelandic Touring Association and the number of members is more than eight thousand persons.
The Icelandic touring Association recently received an award from Rannís, The Icelandic Centre for Research, for a project called Science Walks for families, focusing on educating children about their environment and what they can see in nature, while embracing an active lifestyle.
