Nordic Forum: Regional Branding – an Asset in Times of Globalisation

In co-operation with the Nordic Embassies in Estonia, the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Estonia is arranging a Forum on November 22nd 2006 in order to enhance regional co-operation within the Baltic Sea Region.



Over the last decade we have been claiming that the Baltic Sea Region is one of the fastest growing regions in the World.

But how well-known is our region in other parts of the World? Is the Baltic Sea Region a viable brand as such or would it be more realistic and efficient to work with more limited, sub-regional – cross-border brands? If so, where can we find the critical mass for a viable and marketable regional cross-border brand? And will the need for a feeling of belongingness be able to adapt to entities larger than the nation-state?

The Forum explores how the region in the North can be successful in the face of fierce international competition. It aims at launching a discussion and, as a result, an educated public debate on the topic from an Estonian-Nordic perspective, analysing both smaller and larger regional clusters in the eyes of various actors – the public, business and research communities as well as media.

Welcome to Nordic Forum !

November 22, 2006 Tallinn University, Tallinn Hall, Uus-Sadama 5.

Registration by November 19th: www.tlu.ee/nordicforum

Programme

09.00 Opening
H.E. Stein Vegard Hagen, Ambassador, Embassy of Norway
Jaan Õunapuu, Minister for Regional Affairs, Estonia
Per Unckel, Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers’

09.30 Does Estonia Need Branding?
Tiia Rohelsaar, Director, Internal Group LLC, Estonia

09.50 Branding in the Baltic Sea Region
Ole Frijs-Madsen, Director, Baltic Development Forum, Denmark

10.10 The Role of Regions in a Global World
Prof. Per-Olof Berg, Stockholm University School of Business, Sweden

10.30 Innovative Cluster and Sub-regions Development in the Baltic Sea Region, Per Eriksson, Director General, VINNOVA, Sweden tbc.

10.50-11.20 Coffee break

11.20 Business Perspective: Creating a Regional Home-market Nordic Enterprise: Sampo Group tbc.
Estonian Enterprises: AS Regio, Teet Jagomägi, Chairman of the Board AS Baltika tbc

12.20 Strengthening the R&D Sector – Pooling Excellence in the Baltic Sea Region, Prof. Liisa Hakamies-Blomqvist, Director, NordForsk, Norway

12.40-13.45 Lunch

13.45 The Development of Sub-regional Brands:
Øresund - Bengt Streijffert, CEO, Öresund Science Region, Denmark/Sweden
Talsinki - Katri Liis Lepik, Manager, NGO Helsinki-Tallinn Euregio, Estonia

14.30 Estonian, Nordic and/or Baltic Identity?
Prof. Jaak Aaviksoo, Rector, University of Tartu, Estonia

15.00 The Belongingness of Estonia in the Global World – a Look into the Future, Mark Soosaar, MP, Estonia

15.30 Discussion, Moderator: Merle Krigul, Project leader, NGO Euregio, Estonia

16.15 Conclusion

17.00 Reception

The official languages of the Forum are English and Estonian.