The 16th annual Arctic Futures Symposium will take place next week, on December 2nd - 3rd 2025 at EFTA House in Brussels’ EU Quarter.

This year's panel discussions will focus on:

• Sustainable Economic Development Priorities of the Kingdom of Denmark Arctic Council Chairship
• Arctic Investments Scenarios with a View towards 2040
• The Power of Culture in the Arctic’s Future
• Cross-Border Collaboration on Renewable Energy
• Arctic Resources on Our Own Terms
• Arctic Monitoring: Understanding current and future challenges through examining the past

The full programme and list of speakers can be found on the Arctic Futures Symposium website.

Due to the tremendous interest in this year’s event, it is no longer possible to register to attend in-person. We sincerely thank everyone for their enthusiasm!

Those unable to secure a seat are cordially invited to follow the symposium via livestream on the IPF YouTube Channel.

Several special events will take place throughout the week both before and during the main programme:

Investment Scenarios for the European Arctic towards 2040 Workshop

December 1st 2025, 09:00–17:15 – VUB Campus, Brussels

For the first time, the symposium will host a dedicated scenarios workshop, bringing together graduate students and experts to explore long-term investment futures for the European Arctic.

The workshop has received significant interest from students. We look forward to a highly productive session, the results of which will be presented during the second panel discussion of the symposium.

Arctic Shorts Film Evening

December 1st 2025 – Cinema Galeries, Brussels | Doors: 18:30 | Screening: 18:45

The 7th annual Arctic Shorts Film Evening is an official side event of the Arctic Futures Symposium. It will showcase a myriad of short films by Arctic filmmakers. Registrations are still open - For more information visit the page on the Arctic Futures Symposium website LINK!

Laurence Trân Arctic Futures Award

December 2nd 2025, 16:30 - 16:45

The Laurence Trân Arctic Futures Award supports a young entrepreneur or startup based in the Arctic. A representative of the winning startup will receive the award during a ceremony hosted by the Trân family, the International Polar Foundation, and Arctic Economic Council Director Mads Qvist Frederiksen.

More information can be found on the symposium website.

Mohn Prize Winner Announcement

December 3rd, 2025 – Panel starts 15:30 | Cocktail reception 17:30–20:00

Awarded biennially, the Mohn Prize celebrates excellence in Arctic research, recognizing individuals or groups who have made exceptional contributions to understanding the Arctic and demonstrated international leadership.

The final panel of the symposium will begin with a keynote speaker and focus on the area of expertise of the 2026 Mohn Prize winner: freshwater biology in the Arctic, followed by a cocktail reception to close the event.

More information can be found on the symposium website.

We look forward to welcoming you- either onsite or via livestream - for an inspiring week of discussions and events exploring #ArcticFutures!