The Norwegian Barents Secretariat got the grant from the Foreign Ministry on Monday.
“People-to-people cooperation between Norway and Russia in the north has never been more important and with this increased funding from the Foreign Ministry, we are even more ready to build trust across the borders in the years to come,” says Pia Svensgaard to BarentsObserver.
In total, the Barents secretariat gets NOK 140 million (€16 million) for the period 2015 to 2017. That is NOK 18 million (€2 million) more than in the former 3-years period.
“The funding will go to the wide people-to-people cooperation between northern Norway and Northwest-Russia. We are looking forward to receive good applications from those involved in the Barents cooperation. Our employees have a solid knowledge about Norway’s project cooperation with Russia and are just waiting for more applications to come,” says Pia Svensgaard. She promises fair handling of the applicants and no unnecessary bureaucracy.
In the contract with the Barents Secretariat, the Foreign Ministry in Oslo says priorities should be given to projects aimed at strengthening civil society and respect for human rights in the Russian part of the Barents Region.
The executive focus for the grant is to build trust and cross-border contacts with Russia in the north.
Culture, education, media, indigenous peoples, environment and business are areas the Barents Secretariat especially welcome applications.
“I will already tomorrow have a meeting with Foreign Minister Børge Brende in Kirkenes and brief him about the continuation of already ongoing projects within these topics that we are supporting,” says the head of the secretariat.
In addition to providing grants to Norwegian-Russian projects in the north, the Barents secretariat is also facilitating for delegations and official visits across the border. The secretariat also owns and run the BarentsObserver news portal.
