At the end of January the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes will be the venue for one of the Barents Region's largest cultural festivals, the Barents Spektakel.

Representatives of Sami communities from all over the Barents Region this week gathered in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland, in a protest against what they see as the tourist industry's misuse of Sami culture.

The Norwegian Governor of Svalbard has requested the Pomor Museum in the Russian settlement of Barentsburg to hand over historical objects, which he believes are poorly preserved by the Russians. However, the Pomor Museum refuses.

For a three month test period there will be weekly radio broadcastings in kildin sami language for all radio listeners in Murmansk Oblast.

Since 1911 the skeletons of Sami ancestors have been stored at the University in Oslo for the cause of science. Now the Sami skeletons will be put to rest in their original graves in northern Norway.

The Norwegian 2009 budget includes new fresh money for cultural cooperation in the Barents Region. Investments in culture are an important part of the High North policy, the government highlights.

The President of the Norwegian Sports Confederation, Ms. Tove Paule, today informed that there will be no Winter Olympics application from Tromsø 2018.

Sami communities in northern Norway experience a musical renaissance as several Sami bands climb on the hit lists. Popular music has become a way for the indigenous minority not only to strengthen own identity, but also to get outside acknowledgement.

The Russian and Norwegian Ministers of Culture this week met in Arkhangelsk, Russia. They agreed that culture can break down borders and stimulate international cooperation

Norwegian Minister of Culture Trond Giske has invited his Russian colleague Alexander Avdeev to the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes in January next year, where they will take part in the Barents Spektakel culture festival.

When Norway’s Minister of Culture, Trond Giske, and Russia’s Minister of Culture, Aleksander Avdeev met in Arkhangelsk this week, they both agreed to outline a cultural strategy for the High North.

These were the greeting words from Yury Evdokimov, the governor of Murmansk oblast, when addressing the audience gathered on 23 May 2008 for celebration of the 70 year anniversary of Murmansk oblast.

A House of Finland with office facilities for Finnish businesses, the local General Consulate department, as well as a cultural centre will open in Murmansk, Finnish diplomats confirm.

-The projected 100 meter high statue of Christ will ruin the landscape of the Solovki archipelago, director of the local museum says. Famous Russian architect Zurab Tsereteli still wants his monumental work to be placed on the far northern island.

The famous Russian architect and sculpturer Zurab Tseritelli says he is working with a 100 meter high statue of Christ, which he hopes to see erected in the islands of Solovki in the White Sea.

The two former cross country Olympic champions, Vegard Ulvang and Mika Myllylä, launched Tour de Barents 2009 in Kirkenes this week. The competition will be held in April next year with five cross country races in three Barents countries.

A new Barents culture grant programme, BarentsKult, has been financed with 1.1 million EUR. The programme is initiated to promote larger border crossing culture and art-projects in the Norwegian and Russian part of the Barents Region.

Consequences were dramatic for Valentina Pavlenko, who during the 2WW fell in love with a U.S. sailor in the Arkhangelsk Interclub. Sixty-five years later, the now 80 year old woman shares her experiences from the unique Soviet social clubs for western sailors

The indigenous Sámi people in Finnmark, Norway, wants an indigenous people compensation for mining activities in the region. However, the Norwegian government will not agree to the claim.

45 years ago, Cuban leader Fidel Castro boarded a Soviet Tu-114 liner. About 15 hours later he arrived in the Kola Peninsula. The 1963 trip to Murmansk marked the start of Castro’s one month visit to the USSR.