After the Karasjok works shop, we were on the road again, this time heading to the municipality of Inari in the Finnish Lapland. Before arriving to our first workshop destination in the village of Ivalo, the administrative and economical center of the municipality, our group had a pit stop on the top of the Kaunispää fell, in Saariselkä nature and tourist resort. There we had a moment to enjoy the stunning view of the sun in the horizon and a bowl of hot soup.

In Ivalo, the workshop was arranged at the municipal council hall, on January 23. The aim of the workshop was to gather local people's views on how indigenous and local rights feature in decision-making. We heard from the municipal political representatives, administrators and trustees about current topics of relevance to the municipality of Inari. In addition, Maria Ackrén from Ilisimatusarfik/Univeristy of Greenland presented experiences on self-government in Greenland.

A second workshop was held in the Saami Museum Siida's Kammi, in the village of Inari, on January 24. The workshop had a very cozy environment with a fireplace, coffee and delicious cinnamon buns.

Thank you to all the participants for sharing their views on local developments and on their rights to participate in local decision-making! The project will forward these views, along with experiences gathered from Norway and Greenland, to decision makers in the Nordic countries.

Best regards: Marjo, Heidi & Joonas

PS: Both workshops where accompanied by the representatives of media from the YLE Sápmi public-broadcasting company. Their news report is accessible online: Yle Sápmi 25.1.2017 ; Oddasat 25.1.2017