Svalbard: An Arctic Laboratory

As Arctic ice retreats, new sea routes are opening up. How are nations and industries adapting to this new maritime reality and what does it mean for global trade, port economics, and the future of shipbuilding?Joining the conversation are:Marco Volpe, China Desk Editor, Osservatorio Artico, Italy; PhD Candidate, University of Lapland, FinlandAlberto Rossi, Secretary General, Assarmatori - The Italian Shipowners' AssociationAlessandro Panaro, Head of Maritime & Energy Department, SRM, ItalyJihoon Jeong, Secretary General, Korea Arctic Research Consortium (KoARC)Kamrul Hossain, Chair in Arctic Legal Research and Education, UArctic - University of the ArcticThe Session is moderated by Leonardo Parigi, Editor in Chief, Osservatorio Artico, Italy.This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum - Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd–4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org

Food is a living expression of culture, health, identity, and intergenerational memory. How can culinary diplomacy bring together Indigenous and Western food systems?Joining the conversation are:Sara Olsvig, then International Chair, Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC)Alena Gerasimova, NOMAD Project Leader, International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR)Rockford Weitz, Professor & Leader of the Arctic and Maritime Program, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University, USAKjell Stokvik, Managing Director, Centre for High North Logistics, Nord University, NorwayYon Fernandez de Larrinoa, Leader of the Indigenous Peoples Unit, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United NationsThe Session is moderated by Anders Oskal, Secretary General of World Reindeer Herders & Executive Director of the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR).This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum — Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd–4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org

As global power dynamics shift, how do we strike the right balance between deterrence, dialogue, and sustainable development in the Arctic? And what do the changes underway mean for Arctic governance, stability, and cooperation?Joining the conversation are:Bergdís Ellertsdóttir, then-Senior Arctic Official of IcelandGuðbjörg Ríkey Th. Hauksdóttir, Program Manager, Centre for Arctic Studies, University of Iceland; PhD Candidate, University of Iceland; Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School's Arctic InitiativeSvein Vigeland Rottem, Senior Researcher, Fridtjof Nansen Institute, NorwayMarc Lanteigne, Associate Professor, UiT The Arctic University of NorwayThe Session is moderated by Pia Hansson, Director of the Institute of International Affairs, University of Iceland.This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum - Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd–4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org

What is Svalbard telling us about our changing planet, and what makes it such a unique place for Arctic research?Joining the conversation are:Harald Steen, Research Director, Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI)Heikki Lihavainen, Director, Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System (SIOS)Marion Maturilli, Scientist, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Germany; Scientific Coordinator, AWIPEV Research BaseBartłomiej Luks, Assistant Professor, Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of SciencesOlga Gavrichkova, Senior Researcher, Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IRET); Co-chair, Ny-Ålesund Terrestrial FlagshipThe Session is moderated by Mauro Mazzola, Scientist, Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISP), and Station Manager, Dirigibile Italia CNR.This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum — Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd–4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org

The 5th International Polar Year is on the horizon. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate polar research, strengthen international cooperation, and deepen the collaboration with Indigenous knowledge holders. But are we moving fast enough?Joining the conversation are:Henry Burgess, then-President, International Arctic Science Committee; President, NERC Arctic Office, UKHarald Steen, Research Director, Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI)Antje Boetius, President & CEO, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), USAChiara Venier, Senior Technologist, Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISP)Jessica Veldstra, Executive Director, Aleut International AssociationDavid Hik, Vice-President Research & Chief Scientist, Polar Knowledge CanadaThe Session is moderated by Warren Cairns, Senior Researcher, Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISP).This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum — Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd–4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org

Is scientific collaboration with China in the Arctic  still possible, desirable, and on whose terms?Joining the conversation are:Chen Liulin, Deputy Director of the Polar Development and International Cooperation Division, Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC)Erdem Lamazhapov, PhD Research Fellow, Fridtjof Nansen Institute, NorwayTrym Eiterjord, PhD Student, University of British Columbia, Canada, and Research Associate at the Arctic Institute, USAShan Yanyan, Associate Researcher, Polar Strategic Studies Division, Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC)The Session is moderated by Marco Volpe, PhD Candidate, University of Lapland, Finland.This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum — Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd-4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org

What are Arctic fish telling us about the dynamics of a system in transition and what does it mean for ecosystems, communities, and the future of the Arctic?Joining the conversation are:Irene Alabia, Assistant Professor, Arctic Research Center, Hokkaido University, JapanKevin J. Hedges, Research Scientist, Arctic Fisheries and Marine Mammal Science Division, Government of CanadaFrancesca Spataro, Senior Researcher, Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISP)Sara Olsvig, then International Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar CouncilThe Session is moderated by Gian Marco Luna, Head of Research and IRBIM Director, Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IRBIM).This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum — Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd–4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org

Why has the GIUK Gap, the maritime corridor between Greenland, Iceland, and the United Kingdom, returned to the centre of global security debates, and in what new forms?Joining the conversation are:Michael Delaunay, Researcher, Observatoire de la politique et la sécurité de l'Arctique (OPSA), CanadaMarco Dordoni, Senior Researcher, Italian Society for International Organization (SIOI)Céline Rodrigues, Researcher, Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI-NOVA)The Session is moderated by Eda Ayaydin, Lecturer at the University of London Institute in Paris and Researcher at the Malaurie Institute of Arctic Research.This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum - Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd-4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org

Black carbon - the fine particles released by burning fossil fuels and biomass -  is accelerating ice melting, disrupting ecosystems, and threatening public health. What do we know about its impacts, and what can be done?Joining the conversation are:Mario Acquarone, Deputy Secretary of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)David Hik, Vice-President Research & Chief Scientist, Polar Knowledge CanadaSrdan Dobricic, Joint Research Centre of the European CommissionStefania Gilardoni, Research Director, Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISP)The Session is moderated by Warren Cairns, Senior Researcher, Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISP).This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum — Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd–4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org

Why are nations that have no Arctic territory and no observer status in Arctic governance bodies interested in the region and what do they have to contribute?Joining the conversation are:Jefferson Simões, Professor at the Universidade Federal de Rio Grande do Sul, Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences, and Former Vice-President of the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)Eda Ayaydin, Lecturer at the University of London Institute in Paris and Researcher at the Malaurie Institute of Arctic ResearchSalomé Mormentyn, Polar Initiative Manager at the Prince Albert II of Monaco FoundationCéline Rodrigues, Researcher at the Portuguese Institute of International Relations (IPRI-NOVA)The Session is moderated by Andreas Raspotnik, Director of the High North Center for Business and Governance at Nord University, Norway, and Senior Researcher at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway.This discussion was recorded live at the Arctic Circle Rome Forum — Polar Dialogue, held March 3rd–4th, 2026.Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. It is an open democratic platform with participation from governments, organizations, corporations, universities, think tanks, environmental associations, Indigenous communities, concerned citizens, and others interested in the development of the Arctic and its consequences for the future of the globe. It is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization.  Learn more about Arctic Circle at www.ArcticCircle.org or contact us at [email protected]:@_Arctic_CircleFACEBOOK:The Arctic CircleINSTAGRAM:arctic_circle_org