Happy Nordic Day with the 5 fundamental Nordic values

Happy Nordic Day with the 5 fundamental Nordic values

March 21 , 2021 | by:

Helsinki, March 23rd, 1962. Leaders from all the Nordic nations gathered in the Finnish capital to see which Nordic values they have in common and how they can promote cooperation among their countries. They are all Nordic people after all. Despite the wars, revolutions and changes in borders, they all share common values. These have been shaped by their common origins and history,  the climate and geography of the area we call the Nordics: from Finland in the Baltic Sea to the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland to the West.

That agreement marked the creation of the Nordic Council. Call it the European Union of the Nordics. They cooperate in terms of legislation. And you know what? There has been free movement of people for work for over 60 years now. If you are a Nordic citizen, you have even more rights in some cases than if you were an EU citizen. This is one example of perhaps the oldest and strongest regional cooperation in the world.

But what makes them unique? What are the shared values that have helped shaped the Nordic utopia?

The Nordic Model

So many pages, articles and social media posts have been written and published about it. This is about how they do things up there. In all aspects of life: society, economy, people, resources. We are talking about an inclusive model.

A model built on values such as the ability to reduce poverty and sustain growth for decades while trying to close the social gaps (like between women and men) and reduce the economy’s dependence on fossil fuels. That sounds like a complete definition of the Nordic model, huh?

Just think about it! Taking care of the people, so that everyone has the same fair opportunities in life. Taking care of the environment. Distributing the national income asequally as possible among the citizens. Growing. Romantic? Maybe. Realistic? For sure in the Nordics.

Down to five

You know the Nordic people. They like to sit down, discuss and come up with decisions. So, they decided. These are the 5 basic Nordic values, that span their societies and economies.
  • Preserving the environment and natural resources. Working for sustainable growth and development
  • New ways of thinking, creativity and innovation. Using everyone’s talents to tackle problems and come up with new things to improve life.
  • Openness and transparency. There is nothing to hide. Media and the public have access to everything and everybody can form and share an opinion openly and publicly.
  • Compassion and equality. We are all the same and have the same value regardless of gender, age, religion, political beliefs, sexual orientation, race or any other personal trait.
  • Trust. Not only in our family and friends but also to strangers, even institutions. More trust equals less control and stress.
There are so many lessons to learn from the Nordics. The way they share their common values, what unites them. And the way they focus on what is really important in life. Happy #NordicDay!