The Steering Committee:

  • Formulates the overall policy orientation of the Partnership;
  • Decides on possible joint activities to be carried out within the framework of the Partnership;
  • Identifies priorities, needs for support in developing policies and gaps in their implementation;
  • Facilitates networking, promoting international contacts to stimulate professional discussions, exchange of competence and experience, sharing of best practices and information;
  • Ensures political support and continued commitment;
  • Facilitates funding opportunities for activities in support of the Partnership’s objectives;
  • Decides on issues relating to the NDPC Secretariat.

NDPC Chairing countries: Sweden 2010; Norway 2011, Finland 2012-2013; Poland 2014 – Spring 2015; Russia – 2015/2016; Sweden 2017; Finland 2018; Latvia – 2019, Norway – 2020, Poland -2021, Russia -2022, Sweden-2023 

Northern Dimension Partnership on Culture Steering Committee 2023  

Finland  

  • Maija Lummepuro, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Education and Culture
  • Jari Vilén, Finland’s Ambassador for Barents and Northern Dimension, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland 

Latvia  

  • Ina Ločmele, Desk Officer, Department of Creative Industries, Ministry of Culture
  • Lāsma Krastiņa-Sidorenko, Deputy,  Department of Creative Industries, Ministry of Culture

 Norway

  • Sverre Miøen, Royal Ministry of Culture 

Poland 

  • Urszula Ślązak, Director of International Relations Department, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
  • Agnieszka Grunwald, Deputy Director, Department of International Relations, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
  • Anna Woźnicka, Department of International Relations, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (TEMPORARY LEAVE) 
  • Zuzanna Przypkowska, Deputy Director, Department of International Relations, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage

 Sweden 

  • Robert Nilsson, Deputy Director, Ministry of Culture

 Denmark 

–

 Estonia 

  • Anu-Maaja Pallok, Adviser Creative Industries, Ministry of Culture

Germany 

  • Sebastian Wirth, German Federal Foreign Office

Iceland 

  • Karitas H. Gunnarsdóttir, Director, Department of Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Education, Science and Culture

Lithuania 

  • Valdemar Albert Lovčik, Principal Specialist, Professional Creativity and Internationalisation Policy Group, Ministry of Culture

Russian Federation (suspended*)

  • Maria Sergienko, Counselor of the Division of Foreign Countries and International Organisations
  • Maria Sveshnikova, Deputy Head of the CIS, EAEU and international organizations section of the Department of Museums and External Relations
  • Igor Kapyrin, Deputy Director of the Department of European Cooperation, MFA of Russia
  • Denis Moskalenko, Head of Division of Regional Cooperation of the Department of European Cooperation, 
  • Luka Ezerskiy, Department of European Cooperation, MFA of Russia

Acting Head of Secretariat: Krista Petäjäjärvi, krista@ndpculture.org

* The European Union, Iceland and Norway have have suspended until further notice all activities of the Northern Dimension policy which involve Russia. Read more.

Board of Experts Steering Committee