In 2024, several of the young speakers received a standing ovation from the audience in the hall. Their messages that they wanted to be involved and included in the adults' conversations about the future were clearly heard when Greenland Business carried out "Future of Greenland", a youth edition of the conference "Future Greenland", which Greenland Business has been carrying out since 2009.
A conversation about democracy
In 2024, 450 young people participated in the conference, and the goal is to reach roughly the same number of participants this year, when the conference will take place in Katuaq in Nuuk on May 6.
The target group is the oldest pupils in primary school as well as pupils at GUX, KTI, business schools and other youth education.
The young people are not the only ones invited. All the party leaders are also coming to listen and engage in dialogue with the young people. Chairman of the Greenland Government Jens-Frederik Nielsen contributes with the last presentation of the day, where he will have the opportunity to reflect on the day's messages. He deliberately does not open the conference or set the direction – because when the young people speak, they must have space and then it is just a matter of listening. Even when you are the chairman of the entire country.
– We will talk about democracy and why it is important. For this, we have invited, among others, Chief Justice from the Rigsombuddet Morten Nornild. We will also talk about sustainability based on the heading “when business takes responsibility”. And then we will look at the opportunities for young Greenlanders in the Nordic countries based on a presentation by Nordjobb’s project manager Sara Jacobsen, says Director of Greenland Business, Christian Keldsen.
From art, culture and sports to business
Nalik Ventures and Visit Greenland will talk about entrepreneurship, and then Angunnguaq Larsen and Nina Skydsbjerg will give the presentation “Crazy Greenland – when art and culture become a business”, which looks at how you can make a living from your hobby or creativity.
In continuation of this, there is also focus on sports as an entry ticket to a business career, which the head of secretariat of Elite Sport Greenland Muusaarannguaq Ostermann-Søholm and co-owner of Polar Seafood Laila Friis-Salling will tell more about.
Laila Friis-Salling participated in the discipline freestyle skiing in halfpipe at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Biology and defense
– Finally, we will also talk about the Greenlandic values in biology, based on a presentation by the head of department for SILA, Aviâja Lyberth Hauptmann and a few of the students. And then the Arctic Council will come with their Youth Council, and then we expect the Defense to talk a little about the situation in the world and the Arctic basic training in Kangerlussuaq, says Christian Keldsen and adds:
– If we can create the same energy with the conference here in 2026 as we experienced in 2024, then we have come a long way. The curiosity that the young people expressed was very exciting. We hope for happy young people who leave Katuaq after having had a good day. And when they leave, they are heading towards the future and have hopefully been inspired by what it can also bring and how you yourself can influence it.
The article is sponsored by Greenland Business.
This article is from Sermitsiaq's education theme, which you can read by clicking HERE
