Keynote speech at the World Conference on Drowning Prevention (Ptsdam, Germany) in October 2013. Main emphasis was to demonstrate what the Nordic Countries have achieved so far and how they are cooperating in daily business.

1. Nordic Countries
Working Together
Pärla Salomaa
Secretary General
Finnish Swimming Teaching and Lifesaving
Federation (FSL)

2. Nordic Countries
• Denmark (+Faroe
Islands and Greenland)
• Finland (+Åland Islands)
• Iceland
• Norway
• Sweden
Source: Wikipedia.org, Oerlikonbalzerscoating.com

3. Long history together
• Kalmar Union 1397-
1523: Confederation
with all Nordic countries
• Finland part of Sweden
1300’s-1809
• Denmark-Norway 1524-
1814
• Sweden-Norway 1814-
1905
Source: Globalsecurity.com

4. Nordic Council
• Forum for co-operation between the
Nordic countries established after World
War II
• 1954 Nordic labour market
• 1958 Nordic Passport Union
• Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania observers

5. A lot in common
• Geography: location
and climate
• Low population density
(total population 25
million)
• Advanced gender
equality level, high
education level
• Welfare states
• Different languages
Source: Nordregio.com

6. Also from lifesaving point of view
• Plenty of water:
lakes, rivers, fjords,
sea
• Cold water and ice
 Hypothermia real
danger year round
• People spend time
around water
Source: Koulukartta.fi

7. Image of Nordic Countries
Source: Turbosquid.com, Wikipedia.org

8. We have four seasons
Source:
123rf.com, Yachtpals.com, Icelandvi
king.com, Flickriver.com, Mtv3.fi, Pb
ase.com,

9. Nordic Lifesaving Federation
• Founded in 1945 in
Stockholm, Sweden
• Founded by the
Lifesaving
Federations of
Denmark, Finland, No
rway and Sweden
• Iceland joined in 1970
• Conference every 3
years Source: FSL

10. Federation becomes Group
• Since 2008
meetings every
year
• In 2012 name
changed to Nordic
Lifesaving Group
• Bye-laws under
revision
Source: DSF

11. Nordic Lifesaving Group
• Yearly meetings in the fall
• Organiser rotates
• No secretary or staff
• No bureaucracy
• No budget, no voting
• Only regional group within ILSE

12. Nordic Co-operation
• Swimming ability
• Drowning prevention and statistics
• Sharing best practice
• Protecting immaterial rights
• International issues

13. Swimming Ability
• 1996 agreement on common definition of
swimming ability:
• A person can be said to be able to swim
when one, after being immersed in
water, can swim continuously for 200
meters, out of which 50 meters
backstroke.
• Sent to ILSE for approval
• Hopefully to ILS in the future

14. Swimming Ability in Nordic
Countries
Country Children (grade) Adults
Denmark 79% (6-7th garde) 66%
Finland 72% (6th grade) 68%
Iceland 96% (6th grade) 95%
Norway 50% (4th grade) Data not
available
Sweden 92% (5th grade) 73%
Source: FSL

15. Swimming Education in Nordic
Countries
• Swimming education in
school curricula in all
Nordic Countries
• Norway: most emphasis
on cold water swimming
• Sweden and Iceland: no
school diploma unless
swimming abilitySource: SLS

16. Drowning prevention in Nordic
Countries
• Typical case: Middle-
aged man under the
influence of alcohol
• Sharing best
practice, like
information, events, e
ducation, advertising,
and methods to fight
the common problem
Source: Kemijoki.fi

17. Drowning Statistics
• Most collect data from press
clippings, followed by official statistics
• Sweden publishes a yearly report in Swedish
and English
• Finland has same format since
2011, published in Finnish and English
• Studies in all countries but at different times
• Plan to gather more information about
drowning statistics in Nordic Countries

18. Nordic Co-operation in sports and
lifesaving
• Nordic Championships in many different
sports disciplines
• Nordic Lifesaving Championships

19. Letter of Intent
• Signed by
Denmark, Finland, Norway
and Sweden in 2012
• Agreement to protect
intellectual property from
commercial actors
• Material first offered to
other Nordic FederationsSource: SLS, NLF

20. Sharing knowledge
• Open
camps and
competitions
• Visiting
coaches
• Ease of
communicati
on: Secretary
General,
Education
specialist
• Sending or
distributing
materials
Source: DSF, FSL

21. International Work
• ILS International Lifesaving Federation
• ILSE International Lifesaving Federation of
Europe
• IFSTA International Federation of
Swimming Teachers’ Associations
• No need to have own representative
everywhere: we still get the necessary
information

22. New observers
• Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania invited to
Nordic Meeting in 2012
• Estonia observer status
• Meetings open to other observers as well

23. Benefits of co-operation
• No need to re-invent the wheel
• Better use of scarce resources
• Working with same issues gives certainty
and confidence
• Friendship

24. With the assistance of my colleagues
• Karin Brand, Sweden
• Erik Bech, Denmark
• John-Inge Austad, Norway
• Hafthor Gudmundsson, Iceland
Together we are stronger
Source: Kotu.oulu.fi

25. Pärla Salomaa
Secretary General
parla.salomaa@suh.fi