The Aurora Forum

The Aurora Forum is a meeting of minds interested in security and prosperity in the region, stretching from the United Kingdom across the High North to the Nordic & Baltic countries; Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden

The Aurora Forum was founded in 2017 with the realisation that a gap existed for such a forum between the United Kingdom and Nordic and Baltic countries. The first Aurora Forum was held in 2018 at Hopetoun House in Scotland with the aim of building new relationships and fostering existing ones between countries in the region.

The region has long been an area of free trade and shared security, with strong political and economic links to the United Kingdom dating back nearly 900 years. The Aurora Forum’s goal is to capture the spirit of these traditions in today’s context, establishing a platform through which relationships between countries can be reinforced and strengthened.

The Aurora Forum brings together individuals from a cross section of backgrounds including business, politics, academia, government, think tanks and culture to address the issues of the day. The Forum addresses a diverse range of subjects, including geopolitics, climate change, defence & security, trade & business, research & innovation, technology & digital transformation, energy & infrastructure, sustainability, corporate resilience and economic growth.

The Aurora Forum has the support of the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Foreign Ministries of the Nordic and Baltic countries, but remains independent of Government. The Forum is grateful to its sponsors for their generous support, which allows the Forum to take place. More information on the Forum’s sponsors can be found on the ‘Partners’ page.

Sessions at the Aurora Forum are conducted using the ‘Chatham House Rule’, ensuring frank and open dialogue. Attendance at the Forum is by invitation only, and participants enjoy the unique and friendly atmosphere, which allows for a relaxed and informal approach.

"The Aurora Forum has already established itself as a key part of the relationship between the UK and Nordic and Baltic countries. There is an excellent atmosphere of trust and mutual respect which makes it possible to share analysis of tricky issues and exchange ideas on how to tackle them."

Lord Willetts - President, The Resolution Foundation
"The recent Aurora Forum event in which I participated, did a superb job at creating a safe space to discuss difficult and sensitive issues despite being run virtually. The calibre of the discussants was excellent, generating new ideas and providing a rich environment to build understanding of the topics at hand. And the moderators did a superb job of bringing in other participants and other views to create a high quality of conversation and debate. Thank you."

Xenia Wickett - Vice President Political Analysis, Equinor UK Ltd
“The Aurora Forum fosters dialogue on the big international economic and security challenges and opportunities among the political, diplomatic, academic and business communities from the UK, Nordic and Baltic countries. This like-minded community will be even more important to the UK post-Brexit.”

Lord Sedwill - former UK Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser
“This is a forum that is continuing to bring the UK, Nordic and Baltic countries together in dialogue. Building on 900 years of free trade and shared security whilst bringing together a cross section of high level attendees discussing key issues of the day.”

Helge Lund - Chairman, BP
“The political events of recent years and extreme political fragmentation pose multiple challenges to our societies, while the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation. This Forum provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on the complex security challenges faced by Northern Europe's region and leverage leaders and experts' perspectives from various sectors: business, government, and academia. Participating at the Forum also provided new valuable insights on security and defence issues that are of particular concern to the Baltic countries’ audience.”

Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė - Director General, Member of EBU Executive Board, Latvia
“The Aurora Forum is a one-stop-shop for informed perspectives from around the region. Although the recent two-day event was by necessity virtual and so lacked the usual face-to-face networking element, it was still a feast of high-level thinking on today's (and tomorrow's) big issues.”

Daniel Franklin - Executive Editor, The Economist
“It was a pleasure to participate for the first time in the Aurora Forum, as a panellist. Our relations with Scandinavia and the Baltic States are particularly important at this time, now we have left the European Union. We need bodies like the Aurora Forum to keep these strong and friendly links. We have exceptionally strong common values and interests. I hope to remain a supporter going forward.”

Rt Hon Greg Hands - former UK Minister for Trade Policy
“A highlight for me was the ability of the organizers to create online the same cosy and intimate atmosphere that we have been accustomed to in these last years at Hopetoun House. Although I felt sorry not to be able to meet face to face, I immensely enjoyed the intellectual power of the discussions, the scope of analyses and the chats online. Content-wise, I eagerly followed the discussions about the future of the UK identity, how it would be created and what it would consist of after Brexit. I very much enjoyed listening to Minister Artis Pabriks, whose contribution was very insightful and thought provoking. So, for a while the vibe of Hopetoun House could be felt in my own kitchen at home. Thank you for that!”

Eeva Eek-Pajuste - Director of the Lennart Meri Conference, Estonia
“The Aurora Forum is of great value as an official and structured dialogue between the UK and the Nordic-Baltic states. The Forum focuses on our shared values, common goals and challenges as it brings together the public and private sectors in an excellent way.”

H.E. Ambassador Wegger Chr. Strommen - Norwegian Ambassador to the United Kingdom
“The Aurora Forum bringing the UK, Nordic and Baltic countries together is an exceptional space in which the big issues of the day are debated with the most insightful minds. It’s a forum where new thinking is developed and where change happens.”

Seema Malhotra MP - UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Migration and Citizenship and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities

The Aurora Forum

"The Aurora Forum has already established itself as a key part of the relationship between the UK and Nordic and Baltic countries. There is an excellent atmosphere of trust and mutual respect which makes it possible to share analysis of tricky issues and exchange ideas on how to tackle them."

“This is a forum that is continuing to bring the UK, Nordic and Baltic countries together in dialogue. Building on 900 years of free trade and shared security whilst bringing together a cross section of high level attendees discussing key issues of the day.”

“The Aurora Forum is a one-stop-shop for informed perspectives from around the region. Although the recent two-day event was by necessity virtual and so lacked the usual face-to-face networking element, it was still a feast of high-level thinking on today's (and tomorrow's) big issues.”

“The Aurora Forum is of great value as an official and structured dialogue between the UK and the Nordic-Baltic states. The Forum focuses on our shared values, common goals and challenges as it brings together the public and private sectors in an excellent way.”

“The Aurora Forum bringing the UK, Nordic and Baltic countries together is an exceptional space in which the big issues of the day are debated with the most insightful minds. It’s a forum where new thinking is developed and where change happens.”