Oslo 27th of September 2024: Diversify Nordics Summit 2024
Klimakultur is proud to collaborate with Diversify on this year's conference and to moderate a panel discussion with Anne Lajla Utsi, Ritika Wadha, Jason Ryle and Henri Terho.
The overarching theme for DNS 2024 is: Scaling hope, justice and belonging.
See the full agenda here.
Purchase tickets here.
Friday 27th of September 2024, from 13.10 - 13.50:
Panel: "Whose story is it anyway? Reclaiming mainstream narrative."
Speakers: Anne Lajla Utsi (she/her), Ritika Wadha (she/her), Jason Ryle (he/him), Henri Terho (he/him). Discussion facilitator: Julie Forchhammer, Klimakultur (she/her)
Topic:
The discussion will challenge us to confront the power dynamics that shape whose voices are amplified and whose stories are silenced. In a world where narrative sovereignty is increasingly contested, we must ask: Who controls the stories that define our culture, history, and future, and what are the consequences of this control?
As narratives around critical issues like the energy transition are crafted, whose perspectives are being highlighted, and whose are overlooked? This discussion will explore the intersection of activism and artivism, questioning how the stories that drive social and environmental change are selected and who benefits from their telling.
Moreover, the conversation will explore the often-hidden power structures behind storytelling—who receives the funding and resources to tell their stories, and how does this influence which narratives become mainstream? In a media landscape dominated by gatekeepers, how can marginalized voices reclaim their narratives and challenge the status quo? This panel pushes us to examine the role of power in storytelling, asking whether true narrative sovereignty is possible in a system where economic and political interests often dictate whose stories are told and heard.
Panel:
Anne Lajla Utsi: Managing Director at International Sami Film Institute
Anne Lajla Utsi belongs to the Sámi people, and is based in the village of Guovdageaidnu, which lies above the Arctic Circle in Norway. Since 2009, Anne Lajla has been the driving force behind the International Sami Film Institute (ISFI). As CEO of ISFI, she built a robust international film network, collaborating with Sundance Film Institute, Netflix, Canada Media Fund, European Film Academy, Berlin Film Festival, Maoriland Film Hub, among others. She is a member of The Academy and Board member of The European Film Academy. She is awarded the Women in Film and Television International Peace Prize 2023. She advised Walt Disney Animation Studios and led the Sámi cultural expert group working with the creators of Frozen 2.
The International Sámi Film Institute has played a pivotal role in reshaping Sámi cinema, witnessing a remarkable surge in production from a handful of films to a staggering output of Sámi feature films and series, totaling 30 million euros between 2023 and 2025.
Henri Terho: Head of Arts Support at Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike)
Henri Terho is the Head of Arts Support in Arts Promotion Centre Finland (Taike), in which he is responsible for the funding schemes and developmental projects. Taike is a governmental agency to promote artists and arts organizations with grants, subsidies and various projects. Terho has also worked as the chair of Finnish State Art Commission and as an independent researcher of arts, culture and urban studies.
Jason Ryle is a producer, programmer, curator, story editor, and arts consultant based in Toronto, Canada. He is Anishinaabe from Lake St. Martin, Manitoba. Jason was the Executive Director of imagineNATIVE from July 2010 to June 2020, an Indigenous-run organization mandated to support Indigenous filmmakers and media artists.
Ryle is currently working as a freelancer, with a focus and expertise in Indigenous media arts. Jason has current contracts with the Indigenous Screen Office, the National Film Board of Canada, and the International Sámi Film Institute.
Ritika Wadhwa: CEO & Founder at Prabhaav Global
Ritika was born and brought up in India. She went on to achieve an MBA in the UK and broke all barriers as an immigrant to Canada and the UK. Ritika has over 30 years of experience working at Board level across 3 continents, with senior stakeholders – within the public and private sector.
Ritika is on a mission to bring inclusion and innovation to the heart of organisations, and she believes that Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is a capability which can do that. Ritika is the Founder and CEO of Prabhaav Global. Prabhaav means impact in Hindi and organization’s mission is to apply the transformational power of Cultural Intelligence for impactful leadership.
Ritika is a CQ Certified Facilitator and a Fellow at the Society of Leadership Fellows, Windsor Castle. She sits on the Strategic Advisory Board member for British Transport Police and is a Trustee and Board Director at the 5% club. Ritika is also an Ambassador for Age Irrelevance and a sought-after Keynote speaker.
The Diversify Nordics Summit (DNS) is the leading international conference that provides the largest platform in the Nordics to connect, find solutions and share best practices on societal and workplace challenges.
