Top Meeting

Head of Norways national broadcaster NRK, head of Swedens national broadcaster SVT and head of Finlands national broadcaster YLE have all registered to WITBC - a quite unique meeting.

– Just fantastic, Hans-Tore Bjerkaas says about Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino in late winter.

Competent troika

The Tromsø native and now in control of 3500 employees as head of Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation has been in the middle of Finnmark when it can be really magic - just at the time the reindeer start moving towards the coast.

Together with head of SVT in Sweden, Eva Hamilton, and head of YLE in Finland, Lauri Kivinen, Bjerkaas has registered for WITBC Sápmi 2012.

The same responsibility

Obvisously, it's mainly about broadcasting.

– In principle we have the same responsibility for the Sámi language and culture as we have for the Norwegian. When NRK Sápmi host a conference for indigenous broadcasters from all over the world, I would like to be present, Bjerkaas says.

– The challenges for indigenous peoples all over the world when it comes to protecting minority languages and minority cultures are quite alike. For indigenous peoples to have a community to learn from eachother, inspire eachother and challenge eachother, I think has an important influence on the work to be done at home, Bjerkaas says.