Polar Night Celebration Highlights Peace and International Student Voices
The Polar Night Celebration 2026 was held on 20 November at UiT in Tromsø, bringing together
international staff and students for an evening of connection, learning and celebration.
This year’s theme was The Importance of Peace in the Arctic. The event was organized by Mari Buck from the International Cooperation Section, who emphasized the value of intercultural competencies and strong onboarding initiatives. Marcela Douglas, Head of the Center for Peace Studies, delivered the keynote lecture Arctic Peace in Troubled Times and introduced UiT’s new Centre for Geopolitics, Peace, and Security (GPS).
“First Impressions...” Exhibition
For the second year, the celebration hosted the award ceremony for the photovoice exhibition
“First Impressions...”, where international students shared their perspectives on life in Northern
Norway through photos and stories. All submissions were displayed before the ceremony, and
the full exhibition will soon be available online.
The photovoice initiative began in 2024 as a collaboration between the CRAFT Research Lab
and the Center for Arctic Humanities. The method combines images and personal narratives and
serves as an inclusive tool for communicating lived experiences.
Competition Winners
Seventeen entries competed across the four categories Nature, City & Coasts, Interactions, and
Peace. The winners were:
- Sally Vaihinen, Åbo Akademi University – “Crossing” (Drawings)
- Amelie Singer, Kempten University of Applied Sciences – “Golden Evening on the
Lofoten with Northern Sheep” (Peace) - Tillièn Laot-Fournier, Sciences Po Toulouse – “The Old Captain” (Interactions)
- Lucy, Université Savoie Mont Blanc – “Alone above the sea” (Nature)
- Klara Hußlein, University of Constance – “Reflections” (City and Coast)
The full exhibition will soon be available online here
Collaboration Across Campuses
The Polar Night Celebrations are organized by the International Cooperation Section and
supported by administrative staff from UiT’s campuses. The photovoice competition is a joint
effort between the CRAFT-lab, the Environmental Humanities Research Group, and
the Center for Arctic Humanities.
The 2026 celebration successfully brought together the UiT community, fostering creativity,
dialogue, and cultural exchange across campuses.
"The Polar Night Celebration shows why UiT is a globally oriented Arctic university — we create spaces where international and Norwegian students and staff can meet, listen to one another, and build peace in practice. In times of uncertainty, these arenas are essential for strengthening the community, knowledge, and dialogue that UiT stands for. Our diversity is a strength for our university community", says Jonas Stein, Vice-Rector for Dissemination at UiT.
Kortnytt fra International Cooperation Section
