Here are the winners of the Nordic Pioneer Prize 2023

Categories: News
Udgivet: 21 Sep - 2023

An LGBTQ+ activist, a folk singer, a safe space founder and a film maker are this year’s winners of the Nordic Pioneer Prize 2023.

There is power in being young! Most youngsters don’t use that power – but this year’s winners of the Nordic Pioneer Prize are all about social change, and they are very conscience about how to set it in motion.

They are:

  • Atlas Bugge, 25 (DK): Founder of OutN’Proud – an LGBTQ+ organisation based in Aarhus, Denmark.
  • Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen, 25 (NO): She’s a social activist who sings in the traditional Sami language in the band ISAK.
  • Shahin Ahmad, 24 (FI): Founder of the youth safe space Hangflow Ry.
  • Manhal Ahmed, 22 (SE): A filmmaker who mentor’s and shows how Swedish young adults can get into the film industry.

The prize makes a huge difference

The winners received their price together with 15.000 Danish kroner at the Nordic Pioneer Prize ceremony at Demokrati Garage in Copenhagen the 21st of September:

– Winning the Nordic Pioneer Prize means the world to us! I could’ve never imagined in my wildest dreams that I’d find people who are just as passionate about Out’N’Proud as I am, and I’m so proud of everyone in Out’N’Proud for all the work they do every day to make Aarhus a safer space to be queer. Winning the prize has made us all even more motivated, and the prize money is going to make a huge difference as well, as it’ll allow us to keep Out’N’Proud going, Atlas Bugge Larsen said when receiving the award.

His statement underlines why the prize was initiated three years ago; it’s all about giving young adults a platform and a chance to be heard.

Jeppe Albers, executive director at Nordic Safe Cities, explains the purpose of the Nordic Pioneer programme and prize ceremony in more detail:

-These Nordic Pioneer 2023 winners demonstrate how much a one young person can achieve by voicing and acting for positive change in their community. The Nordic Pioneer Prize celebrates their work and hopefully inspires other young adults to follow in their footsteps. Through The Nordic Pioneer programme their ideas and learnings can inspire so many more young people to create a direct impact and strengthen democratic values in their local communities.

A network of changemakers

The Nordic Pioneer prize was launched in 2021 by Nordic Safe Cities – an NGO working to empower local communities and strengthen democratic culture and values across the Nordics.

The prize is part of Nordic Pioneers – a youth programme and network which celebrates social entrepreneurs and at the same time seeks to inspire youth across the Nordic Countries to make their local community safer, more equal and democratic.

The prize is given to Nordic Youth no older than 25 years of age and the winners are awarded 15.000 DKK each.

-This year’s winners have demonstrated an inspirational devotion and dedication to improving society, which shines through in their various engagements, Sebastian Jørgensen, project manager at Nordic Safe Cities, explains.

He continues:

-Youth plays such an important part in the cohesion of the Nordic countries, and we believe youth across the Nordics need to have their voice heard. It is our aim with the Nordic Pioneer Prize to help youth get their projects sharpened, which in the end, hopefully, will see the best of them evolve to a degree which will make them applicable to every Nordic country.

Finnish ambassador: – We need more role models

Since its inauguration in 2021, the prize ceremony has been hosted by one of the Nordic Embassies.

In 2021, the Swedish embassy hosted the event while the Norwegian embassy had the honor in 2022. This year, the prize ceremony takes place at Demokrati Garage in Copenhagen on the 21st of September and will be hosted by the Finnish Ambassy.

– It is an honor to be hosting this year’s event. The Nordic Pioneer Prize is a great example of the power of Nordic cooperation. More than ever, we need positive examples of tolerance and non-discrimination. Here the Nordic youth certainly play a key role, the Finnish ambassador in Copenhagen, Harri Kämäräinen, explains.

He elaborates:

– The Nordic Pioneer Prize stands as a significant tradition, offering a platform for young voices. The more young adults participate in decision-making processes, the stronger and more resilient our democracies will be, and I am impressed and encouraged by the dedication of our young people throughout the Nordics. They actively contribute to their communities with profoundly positive influence. Their example reminds us of the importance of actively working towards a society that respects everyone’s human rights.

Media Contact

If you need more info about the Nordic Pioneer Programme or want to interview the winners, please reach out to Morten Frølich, Head of Communications, Nordic Safe Cities, at:

morten@nordicsafecities.org or +45 22 45 04 12.

Photo Credit: Christoffer Askman & Kongshaug Productions.

 

Read more about the winners and their projects here:

Atlas Bugge, 25 (DK). Founder of OutN’Proud

Atlas Bugge (he/him) is the founder of OutN’Proud – an LGBTQ+ safe space organisation based in Aarhus, Denmark. The organisation offers a community for queer youth without the presence of alcohol or other substances. It arranges festivals and events for Pride and hosts weekly meetings where young people can engage in creative activities together.

Atlas’ goal for the near future is to host bigger events with OutN’Proud, grow the network nation-wide (starting with the rural communities that need it the most), and spreading the knowledge of OutN’Proud to the rest of Europe in order to influence other young people to start similar organisations.

 

Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen (NO), 25, singer in ISAK:

Ella’s activism and work have been driven largely by her engagement towards the protection of the Sami people’s culture, language, and rights, using her voice and artistic talents to advocate for the cause.

She is the lead singer in the internationally recognized band ISAK where she sings in traditional joik. She has also played the lead role in a documentary about the Sami people, written a book about her activist work and founded a project together with JM Norway that provides a safe space for creative expression and mentorship of Sami artists.

Ella’s leadership is rooted in collective thinking and respect of indigenous knowledge. Winning this prize would inspire her to continue her work and create safe spaces for healing within the Sami community.

 

Shahin Ahmad (FI), 24, founder of Hangflow Ry:

Shahin Ahmad founded and runs the youth organisation Hangflow Ry, which is a safe space for youth in Turku, Finland. Through weekly activities the organisation provides a mixture of fun hangouts, serious talks about sensitive topics, and informal educational workshops – all based on what the young participants want to get out of the experience.

Hangflow Ry provides an important community for the young members, and Shahin himself also makes great effort to establish personal relationships with each individual if they ever need extra support. Shahin was nominated by his colleagues, but wants this to be a recognition of Hangflow Ry, and not just of him. The prize money will be fully invested into Hangflow Ry and to expand its reach – first to all of Finland, and then to the rest of Europe.

 

Manhal Ahmed (SE), 22, social activist and filmmaker:

Manhal Ahmed is from a vulnerable residential area in Helsingborg, Dalhem. Manhal’s childhood dream of becoming a filmmaker suddenly became a reality last year, when the Swedish Hyregästforeningen (Swedish Tenants Association) decided to invest in projects from Dalhem.

He has since then released and worked on short-films, and worked together with Hyregästforeningen to organise film camps where teenagers from Dalhem can learn about the film industry.

In the future, Manhal wishes to strengthen the film camp concepts, as well as receive funding to carry on his current activistic film project, which depicts criminal life in Dalhem and tells the story of a young man who manages to get out. All of these projects are carried out in hopes of infuencing young people from Dalhem to engage in their community and develop constructive interests and communities.