Foreningen Norden (Norwegian and Danish), Föreningen Norden (Swedish), Norræna félagið (Icelandic), Norrøna Felagið (Faroese), Peqatigiiffik Nunat Avannarliit (Greenlandic) and Pohjola-Norden (Finnish), ''The Norden Associations'', sometimes referred to as ''The Nordic Associations'' are

non-governmental organisations A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in ...

in the

Nordic countries The Nordic countries (also known as the Nordics or ''Norden''; literal translation, lit. 'the North') are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It includes the sovereign states of Denmar ...

promoting civil cooperation between the Nordic countries. Established since 1919, there are Norden Associations in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

(including

Southern Schleswig Southern Schleswig (german: Südschleswig or ', da, Sydslesvig; frr, Söödslaswik) is the southern half of the former Duchy of Schleswig in Germany on the Jutland Peninsula. The geographical area today covers the large area between the Eid ...

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

Greenland Greenland ( kl, Kalaallit Nunaat, ; da, Grønland, ) is an island country in North America that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It is located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Greenland is t ...

, the

Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...

and

Åland Åland ( fi, Ahvenanmaa: ; ; ) is an Federacy, autonomous and Demilitarized zone, demilitarised region of Finland since 1920 by a decision of the League of Nations. It is the smallest region of Finland by area and population, with a size of 1 ...

. Since 1965 these national branches are grouped in an umbrella organisation Foreningene Nordens Forbund (FNF), ''The Confederation of Norden Associations''. The co-operation between the Nordic countries include projects such as

Nordjobb Nordjobb is a Nordic exchange programme that offers young people summer jobs in the Nordic countries. Nordjobb also provides its applicants with accommodation during their stay, and organizes culture- and leisure activities. The programme was first ...

, Nordic Library Week and Norden at the Cinema.

History and mission

The first three Norden Associations were established in Denmark, Norway and Sweden in 1919, soon followed by Iceland (1922) and Finland (1924). Associations were later set up also in autonomous areas of the Faroe Islands (1951), Åland (1979) and Greenland (1991). All Norden Associations have a common aim at promoting Nordic co-operation. This includes nurturing the sense of cultural affinity and, especially in the past, lobbying for open borders in the region. Typical activities are related to awareness raising about language, culture and social conditions in the Nordic countries. The sections publish quarterly magazines ''Magasinet Norden'' in Norway, ''Nordens Tidning'' in Sweden, ''Norden Nu'' in Denmark and ''Pohjola-Norden'' in Finland. Associations are responsible for a range of cultural events including the annual literary festival Nordisk bibliotekuke which was organised in conjunction with the PR-Foreningen for Nordiske Biblioteker up to 2009. The festival was accompanied by an annual teddy bear event for children with a bear provided by

Bukowski Design Bukowski Design AB is a Swedish company specialising in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of teddybears and other stuffed animals as well as decorations and similar items. The company is represented in approximately 20 European countries ...

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

The Confederation of the Norden Associations

The Confederation of the Norden Associations is an umbrella organisation for the national Norden associations and the Youth League of the Norden Associations (FNU). It also co-operates with Eesti Põhjala Ühing (the Norden Association in Estonia), Biedrība Norden Latvija (the Norden Association in Latvia) and the Norden Association in Petrozavodsk. The Confederation coordinates the joint interests of the national associations, aiming at disseminating knowledge of language, culture, history and society between the Nordic countries. Fields of cooperation include the job exchange program

and

town twinning A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties. While there are early examples of inter ...

between Nordic countries. The Norden Association was a proponent for the establishment of the

Nordic Council The Nordic Council is the official body for formal inter-parliamentary Nordic cooperation among the Nordic countries. Formed in 1952, it has 87 representatives from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden as well as from the autonomou ...

, a political cooperation organisation.

Regional Nordic Associations

References

External links

*
The Norden Association and the Confederation of Norden Associations at ''norden.org''Foreningerne Nordens ForbundYouth League of the Norden Associations (FNUF)Foreningen Norden in DenmarkNorræna félagið in IcelandFöreningen Norden in SwedenPohjola-Norden in Finland
{{Authority control Organizations established in 1919 Nordic organizations