Location: Bergen, Vestland, Norway
Credit: Mimi E. Lam
Initiative: Research Council of Norway Research Programme on Marine Resources and the Environment (Research Council of Norway)
Project: Managing Ethical Norwegian Seascape Activities (MENSA)
Story: Through the Managing Ethical Norwegian Seascapes Activities (MENSA) project, hosted at the University of Bergen (UiB), and additional funding from the UiB Ocean Strategic Initiative, we organized an exhibition, film screening, and panel discussion on Valuing Norway´s Oceans. It was a partnership with the USF Verftet (a cultural hub and former sardine factory) and Cinemateket Bergen, who provided the venue and advertised our event in their regular cinematic programme. This allowed us to host our event outside the university in a public venue to engage directly with members of civil society. To elicit Norwegians´ values related to the sea, MENSA hosted a contest inviting Norwegians to submit a photo and text answering “What does the sea mean to you?” The exhibition displayed 10 selected entries, enlarged and framed with museum quality. We invited documentary filmmaker, Eva Charlotte Nilsen, to screen and discuss her award-winning film Smile og Vinke (Smile and Wave), a touching portrayal of her connection to the sea, inextricably tied to her relationship with her father, her identity, and loss. One of the contest winners, Birthe Stigen, added authentic reflections of her deep connection to the sea, which she also captured in her moving poetry, Mitt Hav (My Ocean), awarded Best Poem. UiB Professor Emeritus Matthias Kaiser, a MENSA collaborator, moderated the panel discussion among Eva, Birthe and myself, offering his own unique perspective through his values and ethics research. In designing transdisciplinary experiences, we need to be mindful not only of the people, but also the spaces to be open to diverse perspectives and to create meaningful, shared engagement.