1) The Nordic Countries and the Nordic Co-operation
If the Nordic Countries were only one land, and not five separate states, they would form a country with a population of more than 23 million people and with an area larger than that in the rest of Western Europe.
The Nordic Countries are often regarded as a whole, since they are very similar. They all have a solid parliamentary democracy, a fairly high standard of living and a certain level of social solidarity. Culture, history and language have, from time immemorial, brought their inhabitants closer to one another. Still, every Nordic Country has something unique in itself, in its historical background, and these characteristics give them their special profiles.
In spite of an often dramatic history, the Nordic Countries have reached the point of being able to foster differences whilst at the same time exercising a high degree of inter-Nordic cooperation. This cooperation consists of a number of official committees, steering groups and permanent institutions as well as informal contacts e.g. between different voluntary organizations.
2) The Nordic Democracy
The Nordic Countries have a long tradition of democracy which has its origins in the old 'thing-places'. They also have a tradition of popular enlightenment which is still today considered as a guarantee for democracy as it safeguards basic cultural values.
The Nordic Countries have a long time ago agreed upon the importance of discussion and dialogue where free and equal citizens are able to meet with the problems of their own time. They believe that living democracy is dependent on voluntary popular movements and the work of the non-governmental organizations.
3) Adult Education in the Nordic Countries
The Nordic Countries are convinced of the importance of education. Approximately eight million adults in these countries participate annually in adult education. Adult education is looked upon as something specifically Nordic in view of our history and traditions.
The late 1800's gave rise to voluntary popular movements and the adult education organizations. The initiators were the temperance and labour movements, followed by cultural, sports and other non-profit making voluntary organizations. The Folk High School movement started in the middle of the 19th century in Denmark, followed by Norway, Sweden and Finland. This is the tradition which we in the Nordic Countries call "folkeopplysning", "popular enlightenment", liberal adult education, developed and passed on by Folk High Schools and adult education organizations.
An important characteristic of liberal adult education is that education is seen as a value in itself. People are offered knowledge and experiences that can change their way of thinking. The aim is that they should actively take part in the social change.
4) The Nordic Folk High School
a) History
The idea of the Folk High School can be traced back to Nikolaij Frederik Severin Grundtvig, a Danish priest, historian, poet and public educator (1783-1872). He presented the vision of a 'School for Life' as opposed to the formal, rigid secondary and higher education of his own time.
It was Grundtvig's intention to dissolve the gap between the elite and the common man, but this should be brought about on the premises of the common man. His dialectics are universal and the means of transmitting them, "the Living Word". Thus reading is not the primary method of obtaining knowledge at a folkehöjskole, but dialogue, not the lecture, but debate and discussion.
The first Folk High Schools were founded by people inspired by Grundtvig, but original and independent. First in Denmark, Grundtvig's own country, in 1844, then in Norway in 1864, in Sweden in 1868 an in Finland in 1889. Folk High Schools have also been established in Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands and in Åland and among the Samic peoples, as agents in the struggle to maintain the cultural identity of the area or the minority.
b) Present
There are about 400 Folk High Schools in the Nordic Countries. The Nordic Folk High School claims to be pedagogically the freest school in the world. It is a unique educational set-up, evidently the only great pedagogic-philosophical idea ever born in the Nordic Countries that has proved almost a universal success.
The recognition of ideological freedom as a characteristic feature of Folk High Schools continues to be the basic resource in present-day Folk High School activity. In this way, and with government support, Folk High Schools in our democratic society carry out a special task not allocated to any other branch of the educational system.
Folk High Schools are voluntary and available to everyone whatever their educational background. Each one of us, as a unique individual, has personal experience and therefore has something to offer in conversation. It is this deeply democratic view of mankind that is the basic principle of Folk High Schools.
There is not any uniform Folk High School system in the Nordic countries, but each country has a Folk High School system of its own and, not even in the same country do we have exactly similar Folk High Schools, because every school has its own characteristics.
c) Future
The integration of Europe is breaking down the economic and political frontiers between nations. However, even if frontiers do disappear, the ancient regional languages and cultural areas cannot be erased from the map of Europe.
For this reason we still need subcultures and institutions that uphold them. The history of the Nordic movement of Folk High Schools provides a solid basis for this cultural mission.
The mission of the Folk High School in the future Europe is the fight for democracy, for the rights of the minorities, and for discussion and dialogue of equal men for building up a more righteous society.
5) The Nordic Folk High School Council
The Nordic Folk High Schools have a long tradition of cooperation. Within the Nordic framework, the Council works for the Folk High School ideology, pedagogical practice and experiments and exchange of ideas. The Nordic Folk High School Council also works for giving the Nordic folk high school ideology a profile in the Baltic and European context. The Council holds meetings yearly and it also arranges Nordic conferences.
6) The Nordic Folk Academy
The Nordic Folk Academy (Nordens folkliga akademi, NFA) is a unique, independent Nordic institution financed mainly by the Nordic Council of Ministers. The Academy is centrally situated on the Nordic map in Gothenburg in Sweden.
The purpose of the Academy is to act for the renewal of adult education in the Nordic countries through conferences, courses and seminars, contacts and networks, information and international activities. Each year the Academy is a meeting place for hundreds of teachers and other staff categories working in Folk High Schools, adult education organizations and other forms of adult education.
THE NORDIC FOLK HIGH SCHOOLS:
THE FAROE ISLANDS
Föroya Fólkaháskúli
Háskúlavegur 14
FR-100 Tórshavn
tel. +298-11 743
fax +298-19 687
ICELAND
The Nordic Association
The Nordic House
ÍS-101 Reykjavik
tel. +354-551 7030
fax +354-552 6472
NORWAY
Informasjonskontoret for folkehøgskolen
Karl Johans gate 12
N-0154 Oslo
tel. +47-22-416 675
fax +47-22-415 268
e-mail admin@info-folkehogskolen.no
www.info-folkehogskolen.no
Informasjonskontor for kristen folkehøgskole
Grensen 9a
N-0159 Oslo
tel. +47-22-396 450
fax +47-22-396 451
e-mail ikf@ikf.no
www.ikf.no
SWEDEN
Folkhögskolornas Informationstjänst (FIN)
Box 740 (Västmannagatan 1)
S-101 35 Stockholm
tel. +46-8-796 0050
fax: +46-8-218 826
e-mail fin@folkbildning.se
www.fin.fhsk.se
DENMARK
Højskolernes Sekretariat
Nytorv 7
DK-1450 København K
tel. +45-33-139 822
fax +45-33-139 870
e-mail hs@grundtvig.dk
www.folkehojskoler.dk
The Finnish Folk High School Association