CONNECTING THE DOTS - Celebrating 25 years of cooperation in the NPA
Join this unique event, learn about the impacts of NPA projects on northern and peripheral communities in the Arctic and near-Arctic regions, before exchanging ideas and exploring what the future Interreg NPA could look like. The new call for projects will be launched at this occasion! See you in Bodø, Norway, from 30 September to 2 October 2025 to celebrate 25 years of NPA cooperation!
Explore the Conference Materials
Missed a session or want to dive deeper? Visit our Conference Materials page to access presentation slides, video recordings, and additional resources from the event.
Conference programme
The conference will highlight how the NPA has evolved over 25 years, and how transnational cooperation has contributed to regional development, resilience, and sustainability in Northern Periphery and Arctic communities. By bringing together participants from across the programme area, including Scotland and Northern Ireland, the event will showcase how Interreg NPA delivered change through projects that connect people and communities across vast distances.
Download here the conference programme and project session descriptions.
The programme is subject to changes, unconfirmed speakers and content are marked (tbc).
9:00 – 16:00 Project meetings
Interreg NPA projects are encouraged to arrange project meeting with their partners. A few meeting venues can be made available free of charge to the projects on a first-come-first-served bases. Please reach out to the NPA Secretariat for more information.
18:00 – 19:30 Welcome reception at Stormen Library
Join us for a special evening to start the celebration together! It will be a moment to start connecting the dots between people, places, and the stories that have shaped 25 years of Interreg NPA.
On the first day, the conference will primarily highlight Interreg NPA projects’ impacts, where transnational cooperation marks the starting point in a longer journey of learning, growth, and lasting change. The new call for projects will be launched at this occasion!
Collective transport is arranged between venues.
Programme outline
Please download the full event programme for more details.
Celebrating 25 Years of Interreg NPA - The building blocks
9:00 -17:00 at NORD University
|
8:30 |
Registration opens |
|
9:00 |
Welcome remarks |
|
9:30 |
How it all started, the origins and evolution of the Interreg NPA. |
| 11:00 |
Insights on the impact of transnational cooperation |
| 13:30 |
Project sessions showcase the positive impacts in NPA areas. |
| 16:30 |
Launch of the 6th call for projects. |
Conference dinner
18:30 – 22:00, Wood Hotel, Bodø
All guests are invited to a conference dinner in the impressive settings of the Wood hotel. Expect some entertainment and surprises…
On the second day, Interreg NPA invites various actors supporting cooperation in the Northern Periphery and Arctic regions to join a dialogue with the programme and its projects, exploring how we can do even more together in the future.
Programme outline
Please download the full programme and session descriptions here.
Dialogue about the Future
9:00 – 15:30 Radisson Blue Hotel
|
9:00 |
Opening remarks |
|
9:30 |
Future of cooperation in the Northern Periphery and Arctic |
|
12:00 |
Parallel sessions presenting topics that have recently gained attention in response to evolving challenges and needs in NPA regions. |
|
14:30 |
Closing Panel: How does cooperation in the Arctic and Northern Periphery moves on from here? |
|
15:30 |
Closing remarks |
Thank you and goodbye party
17:30 – 19:30, Bådin brewery
One more opportunity for having a good time together and share good vibes before leaving Bodø!
Interreg NPA will provide light refreshments and entertainment. An optional beer tasting is also available for purchase.
Use this hashtag to find and share updates: #InterregNPA25
Photo caption - Rósín and Miriam at Interreg NPA Conference “Youth in the NPA” in Bodø in 2022. Rósín and Miriam shared their ideas how to make remote places more attractive for young people. Photo by Håvard B. Rødsand.
