keynote speech at wcdp 2013 - nordic countries working together - pärla salomaa
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Nordic Countries Working Together
Pärla Salomaa
Secretary General
Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving Federation (FSL)
Nordic Countries
• Denmark (+Faroe Islands and Greenland)
• Finland (+Åland Islands)• Iceland• Norway • Sweden
Source: Wikipedia.org, Oerlikonbalzerscoating.com
Long history together
• Kalmar Union 1397-1523: Confederation with all Nordic countries
• Finland part of Sweden 1300’s-1809
• Denmark-Norway 1524-1814
• Sweden-Norway 1814-1905
Source: Globalsecurity.com
Nordic Council
• Forum for co-operation between the Nordic countries established after World War II
• 1954 Nordic labour market • 1958 Nordic Passport Union• Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania observers
A lot in common
• Geography: location and climate
• Low population density (total population 25 million)
• Advanced gender equality level, high education level
• Welfare states• Different languages
Source: Nordregio.com
Also from lifesaving point of view
• Plenty of water: lakes, rivers, fjords, sea
• Cold water and ice Hypothermia real danger year round
• People spend time around water
Source: Koulukartta.fi
Image of Nordic Countries
Source: Turbosquid.com, Wikipedia.org
We have four seasons
Source: 123rf.com, Yachtpals.com, Icelandviking.com, Flickriver.com, Mtv3.fi, Pbase.com,
Nordic Lifesaving Federation
• Founded in 1945 in Stockholm, Sweden
• Founded by the Lifesaving Federations of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden
• Iceland joined in 1970• Conference every 3
yearsSource: FSL
Federation becomes Group
• Since 2008 meetings every year
• In 2012 name changed to Nordic Lifesaving Group
• Bye-laws under revision
Source: DSF
Nordic Lifesaving Group
• Yearly meetings in the fall• Organiser rotates• No secretary or staff• No bureaucracy• No budget, no voting• Only regional group within ILSE
Nordic Co-operation
• Swimming ability• Drowning prevention and statistics• Sharing best practice• Protecting immaterial rights• International issues
Swimming Ability
• 1996 agreement on common definition of swimming ability:
• A person can be said to be able to swim when one, after being immersed in water, can swim continuously for 200 meters, out of which 50 meters backstroke.
• Sent to ILSE for approval• Hopefully to ILS in the future
Swimming Ability in Nordic Countries
Country Children (grade) Adults
Denmark 79% (6-7th garde) 66%
Finland 72% (6th grade) 68%
Iceland 96% (6th grade) 95%
Norway 50% (4th grade) Data not available
Sweden 92% (5th grade) 73%
Source: FSL
Swimming Education in Nordic Countries
• Swimming education in school curricula in all Nordic Countries
• Norway: most emphasis on cold water swimming
• Sweden and Iceland: no school diploma unless swimming abilitySource: SLS
Drowning prevention in Nordic Countries
• Typical case: Middle-aged man under the influence of alcohol
• Sharing best practice, like information, events, education, advertising, and methods to fight the common problem
Source: Kemijoki.fi
Drowning Statistics
• Most collect data from press clippings, followed by official statistics
• Sweden publishes a yearly report in Swedish and English
• Finland has same format since 2011, published in Finnish and English
• Studies in all countries but at different times• Plan to gather more information about
drowning statistics in Nordic Countries
Nordic Co-operation in sports and lifesaving
• Nordic Championships in many different sports disciplines
• Nordic Lifesaving Championships
Letter of Intent
• Signed by Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden in 2012
• Agreement to protect intellectual property from commercial actors
• Material first offered to other Nordic Federations
Source: SLS, NLF
Sharing knowledge
• Open camps and competitions
• Visiting coaches
• Ease of communication: Secretary General, Education specialist
• Sending or distributing materials
Source: DSF, FSL
International Work
• ILS International Lifesaving Federation• ILSE International Lifesaving Federation of
Europe • IFSTA International Federation of
Swimming Teachers’ Associations• No need to have own representative
everywhere: we still get the necessary information
New observers
• Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania invited to Nordic Meeting in 2012
• Estonia observer status• Meetings open to other observers as well
Benefits of co-operation
• No need to re-invent the wheel• Better use of scarce resources• Working with same issues gives certainty
and confidence• Friendship
With the assistance of my colleagues• Karin Brand, Sweden• Erik Bech, Denmark• John-Inge Austad, Norway
• Hafthor Gudmundsson, Iceland
Together we are strongerSource: Kotu.oulu.fi
Pärla Salomaa
Secretary General
parla.salomaa@suh.fi
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