Welcoming address:

2. The importance of belonging and participation

Karen Ellemann, Secretary General, Nordic Council of Ministers

Arsim Zekaj, Minister of Health and Social Affairs, Åland

In her welcoming address, Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers Karen Ellemann emphasised that the Nordic Council of Ministers' vision is for the Nordic region to be the most integrated and sustainable region in the world by 2030.

– This requires cohesion, and focus on inclusion, equality, and welfare. Effective integration policies benefit society as a whole.

Karen Ellemann noted that integration policies usually concentrate on equality, education, and employment initiatives. However, to strengthen the integration of descendants, she argued that it was also essential to address the sense of belonging.

Arsim Zekaj, Minister of Health and Social Affairs in Åland, maintained that the focus on children of migrant parents is timely, as the size of the population born in the Nordics to migrant parents is growing across this area. This challenges Nordic societies to look beyond traditional integration models.

– We are called to reflect not only on outcomes in education, employment, and civic life, but also on deeper questions related to identity, belonging, and opportunity. The lives of children of migrant parents are shaped by both the migration journeys of their families and the social realities of our communities in the Nordics.

Minister Zekaj emphasised that integration is not limited to a single policy area but intersects with policies broadly.

I want us to commit to a broader vision of integration. When people feel excluded from civic life, it affects their sense of belonging, their well-being, and their trust in society. So let us invest in better data, more inclusive policies, and collaboration across borders. Let us ensure that the second generation not only inherits our societies but also participates in shaping them.