Honorary award recipient Rune Bjerkli photographed in Peräjävaara with Tornionjoki/Torneälven in the background. His interest in Kven/Finn started here on a family holiday to relatives. Photographer: Ruth Krekola, Peräjävaara.

In Kiruna, at the annual meeting on 15 June 2024 of the joint organization for Kvens/Finns, Kvenlandsförbundet / Kveenimaayhistys, the Nordic Kven Honorary Award was bestowed Rune Bjerkli from Nordreisa.

In its reasoning, the jury based the following:

Rune Bjerkli has worked hard for important Kven issues for many years. With knowledge, qualities, sacrifices and courage, he has been a trendsetter and pioneer in our cause. Some examples:

• He has insisted and won approval from the Directorate for Cultural Heritage in Norway for Kven cultural monuments to also have Finnish names along with Norwegian names.
• He has demanded and received approval in his reports to international monitoring bodies for human rights that Kvens, Tornedalings, Lantalaiset should be treated equally with Saami in Sweden.
• He wrote “Disappointment” (Skuffelsen), a massive and monumental shadow report to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Norway.
• He has made a significant contribution to the scholarship scheme for young people in Norway who are taught in Finnish (Finnish, Meänkieli or Kven).
• He has contributed to increasing cooperation in Torne Valley and the border areas of Finland, Sweden and Norway. Tornedalsrådet / Tornionlaakson neuvosto / Torne Valley Council has become bigger. The Arctic pilgrim is established step by step, a pilgrim route and hiking marches between Tornio/Haparanda to Storfjord/Lyngen.
• He has initiated an international Finnish writing competition as part of the International Decade for Indigenous Languages. The competition has received entries in Finnish, Meänkieli, and Karelian from Sweden, Finland, Russia, and Norway.
• He has purposefully created relationships and connections throughout the Finno-Ugric world.

Rune Bjerkli has made a special effort to ensure that the Finnish language in Norway has the same status as it has in Sweden. That the Finnish language should be equated with Scandinavian and Sami languages ​​in Norway. He has also advocated for the Swedish and Norwegian authorities to treat Kvens, Tornedalings, Lantalaisets, Finns and Sea finns in the same inclusive way as the Saami.

It comes at a price to point out violations of international law and ingrained taboos among people.

Despite unfair criticism and negative publicity, Bjerkli has insisted on presenting our case with as much facts and objectivity as possible. Rune Bjerkli also receives the honorary award because he has uncompromisingly chosen to front the Kven/Finn side far beyond what is expected.

Statement from Rune Bjerkli:

I was very surprised by the award. After all, I haven’t worked for the Kven/Finn cause for so long. I have only been on the case for five or six years.

However, I have spent an incredible number of evenings and weekends on the Kven/Finn cause during this period. What has struck me is how much I didn’t know and that I still get big wow experiences.

The biggest is how ingrained the anti-Finnish attitude is. We have a situation where no one is against the Finnish, while at the same time there is a intense concealment of the Finnish by the authorities. This spreads unnoticed to the population. Even the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was supposed to deal with the Norwegianization processes, will not support the Finnish. Conditions are much better in Sweden.

I have always been interested in the North Calotte, an area that has been as dear to me as Norway. Some of the first family holidays I went on as a child were to relatives in Peräjävaara outside Pajala in Sweden. Finnish/Meänkieli is also spoken there. I have therefore long been aware of our strong connection to the entire North Calotte. We are a Fennoscandian mix.

It is great to get Nordic recognition for what you are passionate about. That the effort is appreciated both in Norway, Finland and Sweden. It is a great motivation to keep going.