On July 15, 2020, a meeting of the Northern Forum Working Groups was held for the first time in online format.

The meeting was attended by 55 experts from the 10 regions: Krasnoyarsk Krai, Magadan Oblast, Kamchatka Krai, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Lapland (Finland), Norway. The meeting was moderated by Daryana Maximova, Deputy Executive Director of the Northern Forum.

During the meeting Vladimir Vasiliev, Acting Executive Director of the Northern Forum and the Chairmen of the working groups made a welcoming speech to participants:

• Sergey Kozupitsa, Minister of Construction of the Krasnoyarsk Krai, Chairman of the Housing in the Arctic Working Group of the Northern Forum;
• Timo Rautajoki, President and CEO of Lapland Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Business Cooperation in the North Working Group of the Northern Forum;
• Igor Nikolaev, Head of the State Autonomous Establishment of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) «Strategic Research Centre of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)», Chairman of the Assessment of Quality of Life in the Arctic Regions Working Group of the Northern Forum;
• Feodosia Gabysheva, Chairman of the Committee on Science, Education, Media and Public Organizations of the State Assembly of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) (Il Tumen), Chairman of the Education and Research Working Group of the Northern Forum;
• Sakhamin Afanasyev, Minister of Ecology, Environment and Forestry of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), Chairman of the Environment and Conservation of Biodiversity Working Group of the Northern Forum.

At the meeting, Daryana Maximova announced the latest information on the Call for Projects of the Northern Forum, launched on July 1, 2020 and on the participation of Working Groups in the procedure for evaluating applications of the Call https://www.northernforum.org/en/news/829-the-northern-forum-call-for-projects-2020. Then, for further discussions, the meeting participants have been invited to separate session rooms of the Zoom platform.

In 2015, 10 Working Groups of the Northern Forum were created:

• Regional Adaption to Climate Change WG;
• Environment and Conservation of Biodiversity WG;
• Development of Energy in the North WG;
• Housing in the Arctic WG;
• Transport in the North WG;
• Business Cooperation in the North WG;
• Health in the North and Social Issues WG;
• Culture WG;
• Education and Research WG;
• Assessment of Quality of Life in the Arctic Regions WG.

Based on the meeting, recommendations will be prepared for improving areas of activity of the working groups of the Northern Forum and their members.