7 When thinking about cross-border cooperation, it is first and foremost the words trust and respect that come to mind. Working across national borders requires trust between partners. This trust cannot be forced, it demands long-term effort from all partners to build. Despite similarities between our three countries and Sápmi in terms of culture, language and history, there are also differences. This is where respect becomes important. We must understand each other’s differences and respect them. This way we can build a sustainable cooperation that generates new ways of working, long-term networks, new business opportunities and creative innovations. The first Interreg programmes in the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Sápmi started in 1995. Since then, the programmes have contributed to numerous projects that have generated long term cooperation between several actors in our programme areas. In this book we would like to highlight a few projects that have been approved in the Nord and Botnia-Atlantica programmes during the programme period 2014-2020. With these examples our ambition is to display the diversity that cross-border cooperation has generated in the programme areas. For the programme period 2021-2027 we now welcome Interreg Aurora. A brand new programme, in which the two former programme areas have become one large area with plenty of possibilities for exciting cooperation across our national borders. Luleå and Umeå April 2022 Iiris Mäntyranta Jenny Bergkvist Programme Director Programme Director Interreg Nord Interreg Botnia-Atlantica The Programme Directors take the floor
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