Annual Report 2022

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Part 1 -The ICR Board´s Report for 2022
Based on the contents in this annual report, and despite the challenges of the pandemic, the Centre has done a very comprehensive work in 2022. The experience and work of the Centre shows that the need for such a Centre is much greater than originally thought. The activity of the Centre and the reception it has got in different forums and arenas shows that the establishment of such a Centre was appropriate, and that it fulfills important functions in circumpolar reindeer husbandry and in the work with specialists and authorities, functions that were not taken care of before. The Centre's work has been much in demand and many actors have apparently missed such a point of contact to the indigenous peoples engaged in reindeer husbandry throughout the circumpolar north. The Centre coordinates the work of different groups in reindeer husbandry and gains access for indigenous peoples and reindeer husbandry where it has not had access before. The activities and processes in and around the Centre are thus seen in light of the professional needs of the target groups.
Concerning the Centre´s priorities in 2022, the Board put special emphasis on the following initiatives within the strategic priority areas of youth, climate change adaptation, food, and reindeer herd-ers´ cooperation (in no particular order): Support for WRH, Boaššu/ NOMAD Indigenous FoodLab, Arctic Council, EALLU, GEF/ UNEP Peatland & Nomadic Herders Resilience, UArctic EALÁT Institute at ICR (UEI), Training of Future Arctic Leaders, PolarNet II Project, RCN Rašša Project, Reindeer herding information centers, Reindeer Portal, UN IYRP 2026 and WAMIP.
Many factors have influenced the goal achievements for the Centre in 2022. The Centre´s wide-reaching institutional networks, the competence of ICR staff, the close coordination and collaboration with WRH and its member organisations, and a flexible and proactive basic organisation, have all in our view been key elements in securing goal achievement for the Centre in this period. As far as external factors goes, the current challenging international situation has not negatively affected ICR´s operations directly in the period, though restricting funding access for projects to some degree.
Summing up, the Centre has gone forward on all major points in the Strategic Plan for 2022. All tasks that were prioritized have had very good progress, and new initiatives with strategic potential have been identified and actively pursued. Virtually all the measures have been carried through or initiated as assumed, within available resources and conditions. Taken into account the given possibilities of the Centre, both externally and in terms of internal resources and capacity, and given the international situation, the Board concludes that the Centre has achieved very much in this period.

The Aims, Work and Organization of the Centre
The purpose of the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR) is to strengthen the international cooperation of reindeer husbandry 1 . The main aim of the Centre 2 is to contribute to the maintenance and development of a sustainable reindeer husbandry in the North and to contribute to a strengthening of the cooperation between the world's reindeer herding peoples. The Centre shall also contribute to taking care of the traditional knowledge of reindeer husbandry, and to spread knowledge and understanding of reindeer husbandry.
ICR shall gather information and get an overview of relevant knowledge about reindeer husbandry and pass on information and documentation about conditions important for reindeer herders, for their culture and ecology, also including research results and reindeer herders' traditional knowledge. The Centre can indicate the need for and initiate research in collaboration with others. The Centre shall also provide professional and administrative support to the Association of World Reindeer Herders and its international activities. The Centre shall be operated in deliberation with WRH 3 . ICR shall be a Centre of knowledge for preparing and exchanging information and documentation between the different groups of reindeer herders, scientists and administrators in the Arctic countries and to promote cooperation between them. The Centre shall thus promote further knowledge production, enhanced information and understanding for reindeer husbandry and the people living off reindeer husbandry worldwide. The international target groups 4 for the work of the Centre are reindeer herders, public authorities, research and professional environments, other Arctic businesses 5 , organizations, collaborative bodies, and mainstream societies in reindeer herding countries.
ICR is an independent institution with its own Board and budget, and is formally organized as a state administrative body with a special authority. When it comes to administrative and financial questions, the Centre reports to the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation (following the Section on Sámi and Minority Issues). The Statutes of the Centre has been revised in 2010, and were approved by the Ministry on July 1 , 2010. The basic work of the Centre in 2019 has been funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation.
The Annual Report format has been adapted to the size and distinctive character of ICR.

The Board
The Board is the superior body of the Centre. It has the overall responsibility for the work and activities of the Centre. It is responsible for professional quality, for use of financial and other resources, and for strategic priorities. The Board decides the strategies for the Centre.
In a letter of 10 th of October 2014 the Norwegian Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation invited the organizations of reindeer herders in the Russian Federation, Sweden, Finland and Norway, University of Tromsø, University of Umeå, Herzen University, Russian Science Academy in Yakutsk, University of Lappland, University of the Arctic, WRH, Sámi University College and the Sámi Council to propose candidates for the Board. In a letter of October 19, 2018 the Ministry asked Herzen University, North Eastern Federal University in Russia, WRH and the Russian National Union of Reindeer Herders to propose replacement candidates for Board Member Rosa Laptander and Deputy Ludmila Gashilova. Based on the incoming suggestions, the Ministry, in deliberation with WRH, appointed the following members for the Board

The Administration
The Centre´s staff has included the following persons in the current period: In addition, there has been various, short-time engagements based on hourly rates and/or contracts, related to miscellaneous projects and other initiatives. This includes limited engagements of indigenous youth connected to projects.
In all, the Centre has had employees constituting roughly 7,9 man labour-years, with about 13 different people engaged at the Centre through the period. While this could be seen to represent a relatively wide spread of resources personnel-wise, it is part of a conscious strategy of widening ICR´s reach in terms of people and networks especially related to project activities.
In addition, there has been a range of people from WRH´s voluntary networks associated and working with the Centre in the period, connected to their roles in projects, local activities, voluntary work etc. These people have not received any salary from ICR (and are thus not included in the man-labour year setup).
There has also been learning for the Centre in terms of the administrative functions, including reporting, financial management, documentation and other demands. New tasks have also been introduced in this regard. In the current period one has also worked with developing and refining processes and routines for the work of the Centre. This work will continue next year.
There has been two semi-annual meetings with the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development in the period, following the Letter of Award. The meetings were held March 31 by hybrid form and November 29 by teleconference. As earlier, the Administration and Chair has also had continuous contact with the Ministry on administrative issues in the period.
The accounts of the Centre are kept by the Norwegian Government Agency for Financial Management (DFØ-Direktoratet for Økonomistyring). The Centre is audited by the Office of the Auditor General in Norway. The Office of the Auditor General had a regular contact meeting and audit with the Centre by teleconference on January 31-February 4, and a teleconference meeting on November 18.

Key Figures from the Centre´s Accounts in 2022
Below is a

Introduction: The Challenges of Circumpolar Reindeer Herding
The Jåhkåmåhkke-Declaration from the 6 th World Reindeer Herders' Congress in 2017 and the Kautokeino-Declaration from the World Reindeer Herders´ Congress in 2022 provides updated descriptions of the possibilities, the challenges and the problems of reindeer husbandry from reindeer herders' own perspectives. These declarations are concerned with diverse challenges such as reindeer herders´ economy, biodiversity and protected areas, fragmentation of grazing lands, health and well-beeing, the challenges of taiga reindeer herding, education, research and management, as well as international collaboration. The mechanisms and the network established by the Centre should be used towards practical reindeer husbandry. Through the work of the Centre, reindeer husbandry has been represented in arenas where it was not represented before. This is done in order to spread knowledge on circumpolar reindeer husbandry, its possibilities and its challenges. One has also focused on international networks in order to strengthen the role and possibilities of young reindeer owners. The Centre has deliberately worked to recruit youth to this line of work.

Projects
In 2022 the range of projects the Centre has initiated/ worked with includes the following initiatives, some of which will be specifically mentioned later (here in no particular order): •

Cooperation agreements
The Centre has made cooperation agreements with the following institutions in the period: • FeFo/ Finnmark Property Organisation, ICR and WRH -Support for development of Boaššu / NOMAD FoodLab

Publications
The Centre has authored, published and/ or substantially contributed to the following publications, also in partnership with UEI and its institutional partners: In summary, 2022 has been a very productive year in terms of publications.

Actions and Measures in the Strategic Plan, with Initial Comments Concerning International Risks
With the Ukraine crisis starting in the beginning of 2022, much of ICR´s international activities, projects and processes towards Russia were severely impacted. This also occurred as one were recovering from the effects of the Covid19 Pandemic. Currently, ICR has managed to consolidate its activities to the largest possible extent.
Here follows a comprehensive review of the Centre's Strategic Plan for the period. According to the Board´s Decision on the ICR Strategic Plan, some activities in the plan were given priority over others. In the review below these priority activities are marked with a (*).

Traditional Knowledge in Reindeer Husbandry:
One of the Centre's main purposes is to take care of and document traditional knowledge from reindeer husbandry, in close cooperation with local reindeer herders, with the aim that this knowledge can be utilized in management of reindeer husbandry and the natural environment.

Uarctic EALÁT Institute at ICR (UEI at ICR) -University of the Arctic EALÁT Institute for Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry (*)
UEI at ICR has arranged/ co-arranged a variety of professional seminars and workshops in the period. There has also been arranged courses, cf. later chapters in this report.
As a legacy of SDWG EALÁT, the SDWG EALLIN and SDWG EALLU projects in the Arctic Council has been major follow-up platforms of the EALÁT concept, continuing refinement of methods and tools as well as institutional networks, with a focus on reindeer herding youth and active youth participation. See separate chapter on SDWG EALLU.

Boaššu -NOMAD Indigenous FoodLab
The indigenous reindeer herding communities globally are presently facing new challenges and threats against a sustainable development and local value added. The reasoning behind the Boaššu -NOMAD Indigenous FoodLab is that ICR wish to develop methods and skills to improve the economy of reindeer husbandry to maintain its resilience and sustainability in face of rapid Arctic change, focusing on diversity and economic freedom of reindeer herders. ICR acknowledge that the traditional knowledge among the reindeer husbandry professionals is the foundation for a sustainable livelihood and nomadic civilization. At the same time, it is seen as key to ensure the reindeer herders' access to and ownership of the most profitable parts of their value chains.
In 2022, ICR and WRH with partners in Denmark SKK ApS and KSH ApS refined the concept of the Boaššu/ FoodLab, including improving the kitchen modules. This was made possible by the core funding from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, as well as contributions from FeFo in Norway. Boaššu/ FoodLab is also a partnership between ICR and WRH, while ICR is now managing its operations. Progression has been very good in the period, based on available resources, and further concept development and funding efforts has continued into 2023.
Looking ahead, the potential for utilizing the Boaššu/ FoodLab for food diplomacy on various arenas is considered to be substantial.

Ethical Guidelines for Handling of Traditional Knowledge
In the period, ICR has gathered relevant materials, including connected to the EU H2020 PolarNet II project, as a startup and baseline foundation for revisions of its ethical guidelines for traditional knowledge. From this point of departure, and with the WRH Declarations in mind, ICR and WRH has started sketching a structure for a working group on this topic.

Outreach and Information, Knowledge Development, Development of New Outreach Tools:
The Centre is to contribute to sustainable reindeer husbandry through circumpolar knowledge promotion and development. It is a goal to establish the Centre's position as a key knowledge provider on circumpolar reindeer husbandry.

Development of the ReindeerPortal.org (*)
In the period the Centre has retained all the social media and information platforms that one has been running since 2013. The ReindeerPortal.org is developed in a continued partnership with WRH, as well as other UArctic partners.
The Reindeer Portal is currently home to multiple sub-project sites including nomadicherders.org, davggas.org, rievdan.org, ealat.institute, eallu.org and more, including the following: All key information about the first Arctic Indigenous Peoples' Food Congress including the registration system has been preserved on the website, and can thus be used again if and when the event is actually implemented. Another project that is saved on the site is the James J. McCarthy leadership seminar for Arctic Indigenous Youth Leaders in 2022, with a separate tab, video presentations and so on.
The Reindeer Portal is accessible through multiple URLs including reindeerportal.org, reindeerherding.org, reindeercentre.org and others, to maximize accessibility and traffic.
Most people find the site through Google search or are referred via Facebook. Yandex, the Russian search engine is now a much used search engine used to find our site, also reflecting Russian contents. Key search terms to find us are 'reindeer herders', 'reindeer herding' and 'reindeer'.

Utilization of social media:
As an integral part of the focus on the ReindeerPortal.org, one has also worked further on the inclusion and linkages towards new social media. The aim is to also utilize social media with the whole ReindeerPortal.org concept to secure mutually supportive outreach strategies and build-up of wanted traffic. Newly generated content is reflected automatically through selected social media channels. In order to enhance the reach and linkages to different user groups, ICR has maintained social media pages linked to the ReindeerPortal.org, and vice versa. The Centre ś social media platforms are important means by which ICR outreach its work and news related to reindeer husbandry world wide.
The Centre has its own page on Facebook, which represents a popular means of outreaching ICR news and content, as well as that of other partners. This platform has a low technical barrier to entry, and a relatively wide reach. ICR further retains a Youtube channel (www.youtube.com/user/icrh) for outreach of videos. The Centre to a modest degree also uses Twitter to outreach and bring attention to content from ICR and the ReindeerPortal.org.

Collection of Baseline Data on Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry
The Centre has focused on collection of data from different regions in partnership with WRH through existing projects and processes. Gathered materials have to some extent, been outreached through ReindeerPortal and other written materials. These efforts have also been supplemented by the Centre's work with the Springer book, the EALLU II project, The Peatlands & Nomadic Herders project, and more.

GEF/ UNEP Peatlands and Nomadic Herders Resilience Project (*)
During the period, ICR and WRH with partners have managed to successfully negotiate the new project GEF/UNEP Managing Peatlands in Mongolia and Enhancing the Resilience of Pastoral Ecosystems and Livelihoods of Nomadic Herders, for startup in 2023.
As a result of these processes, and a parallel due diligence process in UNEP, ICR has been clarified as a UNEP Executing Agency in 2020.
As of 2022, it has in principle been clarified that the Peatlands and Nomadic Herders Resilience project will have main funding from GEF as applied, representing a major achievement of ICR and WRH. A team of colleagues on engagements have taken part in developing the project, and is envisioned to be part of core implementation staff.

Course in Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry -Outreach Towards Authorities
Regional and national authorities have been actively involved in professional seminars and workshops linked to EALLU and Nomadic Herders, including lectures and discussions by key ICR and WRH personnel and reindeer herding youth. In addition, status and findings from regional EALLU sites and activities have been continuously reported to the Arctic Council system, eg. national authority experts in SDWG. While the Centre is seeking options to re-run the UArctic Master Course entitled Adaptation to Globalisation in the Arctic: The Case of Reindeer Husbandry (AGA) and the Course on Biodiversity and Traditional Knowledge (CBD 8J), these initiatives together with the Training of Future Arctic Leaders concept forms building blocks for the Centre's efforts towards outreach and training of also local authorities. This also relates to the Food Innovation Leadership Course developed together with Nord University and partners. Furthermore, the GEF/ UNEP Peatlands and Nomadic Herders Resilience project aims for creating certain courses aimed at a combination of reindeer herding youth and public managers as students.
In the period, the work has been concentrated on the Training of Future Arctic Leaders concept, as initially developed by ICR within the framework of UArctic EALÁT Institute. In a joint effort together with the SDWG EALLU project, ICR has coordinated training programs for reindeer youth in 2015-, also as part of the further development of this course concept. This work is linked to the RCN Rievdan project, AIPCI and Arctic Council EALLU.
In the period there was also developed a course concept on Food Innovation Leadership in partnership with Nord University in Norway, linked to EALLU and Rievdan WP3.
Furthermore, ICR also developed concepts for education courses under the GEF/UNEP Peatlands and Nomadic Herders Resilience project.
By its cooperation agreement with Harvard University Belfer Center, ICR together with WRH, UEI and Harvard Kennedy School developed the James J McCarthy Arctic Indigenous Leaders Training Seminar Series in 2020. The first pilot version was implemented in January 2021, with 26 young Arctic indigenous students from the pan-Arctic area (as well as 2 non-indigenous Icelandic youth). The second round was held at the Arendal Week in Norway, August 14-19, 2022. The third round was planned to be held at Harvard and Fletcher School in Boston, US, January 2023. This course concept was a joint idea between WRH, ICR and the late Harvard Professor James J McCarthy, the former co-lead of IPCC, main author of Arctic Council ACIA Chapter 17, ARCADIA and IPY EALÁT Co-Investigator, and former President of AAAS. Planning and implementing the courses was a way of honoring Professor McCarthy´s strong Arctic engagement and concern for indigenous peoples. This is a continuation of WRH and ICR collaboration with Harvard, going back to 2002.
These efforts and historical timelines to Professor McCarthy also forms the substance of ICR´s developed concept of an Arctic Resilience Centre/ Tromsø Resilience Centre, initiated in 2014. This concept is building on the ARCADIA project, the Arctic Council ACIA report ch. 17, the IPY/ Arctic Council EALÁT project, the Arctic Council EALLIN and EALLU projects, the RCN Davggas project, the UNEP Nomadic Herders projects, as well as RCN Rievdan project WP3. Since 2014, ICR has been working steadily to secure institutional partners in this endevour, building on the UArctic EALÁT Institute at ICR.

The Rievdan Project (*)
In 2014, Sámi University of Applied Sciences (SUAS) together with ICR developed and submitted the Rievdan project to the Research Council of Norway. Rievdan has an overarching goal to build up a master program in reindeer herding at SUAS. The project achieved funding, and final agreements with the Research Council and SUAS was signed in 2015. ICR has had responsibility for WP3 and partially WP4 in the project, focusing on food culture and outreach, respectively. In the period, ICR has planned and implemented its components of the project, and reported this to SUAS both in project meetings and by formal reports. ICR has delivered more than its specified scientific Rievdan deliveries. ICR´s production in 2022 includes a new science book published by Springer, with 10 scientific articles under multiple blind peer reviews. There is also a second Springer volume in print for 2023. This makes it evident that ICR will have delivered way beyond expectations in the RCN Rievdan application, and thus towards the Rievdan project goal of realizing a Master program in reindeer herding at Sámi University of Applied Sciences.

EU Horizon 2020 PolarNet II Program (*)
As a consortium partner to the EU Horizon 2020 PolarNet II Program, ICR had a role as Task Leader for efforts on bridging science and society, and highlighting research needs. As part of the work, ICR together with project partners planned a scientific meeting in Kautokeino, maintaining ICR´s focus on the interaction and bridging of gaps between traditional indigenous knowledge, science and society. However, due to implications related to the ongoing challenge with the new Sámi Act in Finland, and the project participation of Finnish actors active in this conflict (that was not consulted with ICR), the workshop and ICRs other activities has been put on a technical pause until such time as these challenges are resolved.

There has been good progress on outreach and knowledge development activities, and especially so regarding training courses with Harvard Kennedy School and Fletcher School, and RCN Rievdan deliveries. PolarNet II has been planned according to schedule, while postponement was necessary. GEF/ UNEP Peatlands and Nomadic Herders Resilience has also had very good progress, external conditions taken into account.
Pic: Canadian Reindeer Herd. N. Dory, 2014.

Contact, Cooperation and Network Building within Reindeer Husbandry:
The Centre shall establish contact and communication between world reindeer herding peoples, and between reindeer husbandry and other entities. The cooperation with WRH is a critical condition for this, and so assistance to WRH is a key element in the Centre's strategy.

Support to WRHs Secretariat (*)
In supporting WRH, the Centre has been assisting WRH in its international work as well as helping in planning and arranging WRH Executive Board meetings, WRH Council meetings and the 7 th World Reindeer Herders´ Congress. In 2017, the Boards of ICR and WRH made an agreement that ICR would organize WRH´s secretariat, and where the current Director of ICR now also leads the secretariat. As before, assistance in WRHs work in the Arctic Council has been a main focus, as well as support to WRHs administrative work.
In the period, ICR has been involved in the planning the 7 th World Reindeer Herders Congress in Khanty-Mansiysk AO, Russia, postponed from 2021 to 2022 under challenging pandemic restraint conditions. The Congress could however not be realized due to the sanction laws instituted after the Ukraine crisis.
While there have been contributions made to projects and initiatives of WRH, including special efforts to implement Council meetings, it has not been possible to contribute a regular full position to WRHs work (as recommended by the Inter-Ministerial Working Group in 2004).

International Network of Reindeer Herders' Information Centres (*)
In the period, there has been ongoing work to establish several new centres, including the following initiatives/ regions: • Centre for Dukha Taiga Reindeer Herding, Tsaaganuur, Mongolia.
Through the development of the UNEP Peatlands and Nomadic Herders Resilience project, efforts were undertaken to prepare for an ICR office in Mongolia, to be seen in relation to the Centre´s efforts to establish an Information Centre for Dukha Taiga Reindeer Herding in Tsaaganuur together with WRH and Taiga Nature Society in Mongolia.

Arctic Council EALLU: Indigenous Youth, Climate Change and Food Culture (*)
As 7 of 8 Arctic States have put the Arctic Council on a technical pause due to the Ukraine crisis, Arctic Council EALLU has also been put on hold.
Here, it is referred to the free-standing educational programs developed together with Harvard University and Fletcher School under the Scandinavian components of EALLU, and implemented independently of the Arctic Council. See chapter 3.5.2.5.

Contact, Cooperation and Network Building in Research and Professional Environments of the North:
The Arctic Council and UArctic are considered key collaborative bodies and arenas with regard to the research, education and professional environments of the north. The long-term goal of the Centre is to build up the knowledge on reindeer husbandry in the Arctic Council system and UArctic, and to earn and maintain a role as the key knowledge provider on circumpolar reindeer husbandry on these key arenas.

Participation in Arctic Council (*)
As the Arctic Council is seen to be on a technical pause, the Centre and WRH has not had any possibilities to participate as earlier.

UArctic EALÁT Institute at ICR (*)
The University of the Arctic Institute for Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry: UArctic EALÁT Institute, was formally established the 5 th November 2010.
The institutional framework of the institute have been further developed in the period, including efforts along with the agreements with institutions within the IPY EALÁT Legacy networks. The Centre has the responsibility for international coordination of the UArctic EALÁT Institute. Prof. PhD Svein D Mathiesen has functioned as Institute Lead in the period, while Prof. PhD Robert W Corell has been engaged as a Special Scientific Advisor/ Professor II. The Executive Director and the whole range of ICR employees have also all been involved in the work of the Institute, to variable degrees.
The UArctic EALÁT Institute has been engaged in a wide spectrum of knowledge challenges for circumpolar reindeer herding in the period, including education, training, traditional knowledge, information and outreach.

Activities of UArctic EALÁT Institute at ICR in the period includes:
• Various outreach events on indigenous peoples´ food culture and food systems, including activities under the RCN Rievdan project.

Open Post -Other Activities and Initiatives:
The Centre has also been engaged in a range of other activities and initiatives, of which some are reported here. They have been contributing to fulfill the purposes of the Centre in different ways, within the Centre's field of operations. This includes network building, participation in meetings/ seminars etc. related to traditional knowledge, participation related to national and regional reindeer herders' NGOs and authorities, planning, implementation and participation on professional seminars, conferences, workshops etc., work towards national and international media, lectures for indigenous students and in different forums. Activities are listed below (in no particular order).

Meetings, Conferences, Hosting Delegations and More
The Centre has taken part in a wide diversity of different activities in the period, some of which are listed below.

Participation in Relevant Forums and Networks
• The Centre has actively participated at activities of University of the Arctic.
• The Centre has actively participated at activities of Gourmand International.
• The Centre has actively participated at activities of International Conference of Arctic Research Planning (ICARP) • The Centre has actively participated at activities of International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) and Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW). • The Centre has actively contributed to the UNFCCC Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples Platform. • The Centre has actively contributed to the UN Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples´ Mechanism for the UN Commission on Food Security (CSIPM for UNCFS).

Planning and Implementation of Professional Seminars, Conferences, Workshops etc.
• Through the GEF/ UNEP Nomadic Herders project and more, ICR has arranged online workshops in circumpolar reindeer herding areas in the period.

Work towards National and International Media
• The Centre has received international media focusing on indigenous peoples in the north, reindeer herding and global change. • One has focused media work in relation to ICR events and participation in different forums, for example Boasššu/ FoodLab events (various media internationally, including local media), the McCarthy leadership training course, and so on.

Lectures for Indigenous Students, University Students or in Different Forums
The Centre has given various other lectures in the period, including for: • Students in reindeer herding, journalism etc. at Sámi University of Applied Sciences in Kautokeino. • Master and PhD students at Harvard Kennedy School.
• Master Students at Harvard Business School.
• Master Students at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.

Initiation and Participation in Joint Projects on Knowledge Development, Traditional Knowledge, Training and Information
• As part of ICR projects, there was produced different articles in the period, see under ICR publications. • The efforts of the Birgen project has been sought continued through the work with the Boaššu/ NOMAD Indigenous FoodLab, where womens´ roles and traditional knowledge on food culture and raw materials is a key part of the concept. Such continuation needs to be worked on next year.

• Participation in the Harvard Kennedy School of Government study group on Arctic
Knowledge Systems, with Master, PhD and PostDoc students at Harvard University.

Other Activities
Together with WRH, ICR has also contributed to the Committee on an International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralism, including forming a separate regional steering group for pastoralism in the Arctic.
Together with WRH, ICR has also contributed to the establishment of the UN FAO Coalition on Indigenous Peoples Food Systems, at the World Food Forum in Rome. Likewise, ICR has contributed to the UN FAO Indigenous Peoples Food Systems Hub.

Management Control Systems
The Centre´s Management Control Systems are centered around the standard Full-Service Solution provided by the Norwegian Government Agency for Financial Management (DFØ). These solutions have been designed to fulfil all requirements for financial management in Norwegian State Agencies.
The Centre further utilizes the standard ethical guidelines for the State sector in Norway, and has its own separate ethical framework document for handling of traditional knowledge of indigenous societies. In addition, the Centre has developed separate routines for internal and external reporting of any irregular activities, or so-called whistle-blowing. These routines are subject to discussions at Office staff meetings and/ or personnel seminars at ICR.

Risk Management Tools
The Centre has developed a risk-management tool, also refined through its own experiences since its inception. This tool is based on core risk-management parameters such as probabilities, consequences and adaptive measures, and is connected to the professional goals of the Centre as defined by the ICR Strategic Plan. The risk tool and its basic data is reviewed regularly, including through Office staff meetings and/ or personnel seminars, and is also subject to discussion at the semi-annual meetings with the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. The risk management tool is handled by the Board as an addendum to the ICR Strategic Plan.

Working Environment and the Outer Environment
The offices at the Duodjesiida-building are well suited for the Centre's activities, providing a proper working environment. The trainee program for reindeer herding and duodji/ handicraft is also currently located here, as well as the Duodji Institute, representing both a relevant professional environment and a gathering point for reindeer herders as a primary target group of the Centre. The office space maintained at Diehtosiida and the FRAM Centre further provide useful work environments for ICR. The earlier offices in Russia has been closed in 2022, while there is work to make a new office in Mongolia.
The Centre seeks to actively work with reduction of sick-leaves, inclusion of people with reduced working capacities, as well as continued engagement of older employees. The rate of absence at the Centre has been registered to less than 1% in the period.
The Centre uses digital means of communication in its work, such as e-mail, Skype, videoconferencing and other electronic tools. It is necessary to use these means of communication because of the vast geographical region in which the Centre works and for financial reasons. Furthermore, the Centre only sends out Board case documents electronically.
These priorities are also necessary to maintain the outer environment. The Board is of the opinion that the work of the Centre does not pollute the outer environment.

Gender Equality and Diversity
Of the 6 members of the Board, 3 are men and 3 are women. This means that there are 50% of each gender on the Board. In addition, the Chair of the Board, carrying a double vote, is a woman.
In the administration men have been employed in positions equaling ca 2,4 man-labour years in the current period, while women have been employed equaling ca 2,7 man-labour years, including longer term temporary positions/ engagements ( >1 year). The Centre works towards an equal gender balance in the administration. The Centre also seeks to follow non-discrimination practices towards peoples´ religion, sexual orientation and so on.

Other Reporting and Reporting on Common Directives
Here follows a report on other factors and common directives given to the Centre in the Letters of Award and regulations, applied as far as they are relevant.
Concerning the trust reform (tillitsreformen): What regards the trust reform, one is awaiting further clarifications on whether or how this could be relevant for ICR. Meanwhile, the work on ICR´s innovative project on the Boaššu/ FoodLab is continuing.
Concerning apprentices: ICR has not taken in an apprentice (laerling) in the period, but has generally assessed how this arrangement could be utilized in its future work. Although no apprentice has been formally taken in for the period, ICR has nonetheless actively worked with including and engaging reindeer herding youth in different projects, processes and initiatives, especially the Boaššu/ FoodLab and Nomadic Herders project initiatives, and the programs for Food Innovation Leadership and Training of Future Arctic Leaders with Harvard University etc. The Centre has also had contact and some collaboration with the office of apprentices in reindeer herding in this regard, which may also be further developed. Furthermore, one has had some dialogue with the apprentice office for Finnmark, ie. regarding appretices within the food field.
Concerning reduced use of external consultants: ICR has reduced its use of external consultants by 54 % from 2021 to 2022, to NOK 32 452. At the core of this is a desire to utilize internal resources efficiently. ICR has not used any consulting services from the communications industry.
Concerning decentralized work: ICR has continued its praxis for decentralized work. At the same time, it must be noted that ICR´s domestic offices are all located in northern Norway, where one has very good experiences with local workforce. Therefore, in order to increase the decentralized work at ICR one would have to decentralize "within the north", which would in practice mean home offices etc. The Board has had some reservations against spreading the small workforce of ICR too thinly, but rather build some critical mass in Kautokeino etc, also to maintain work environment. Therefore, ICR has not considered increasing its decentralized work in the period.
Concerning inclusiveness (Inkluderingsdugnaden): As there have been less than five people hired in the period, percentages of inclusive hiring is not reported, according to earlier regulations from the Ministry. The administration has considered ways in which inclusion could be integrated in ICRs operations for hiring, in order to fulfill the goals of the inclusiveness efforts in the State, while there has not been implemented any specific measures in the period in this regard. As a result there is also limited experience gathered for sharing in the period. Overall, the Centre seeks to be inclusive in its hiring of personnel.

Concerning information security:
Overall, ICR has relatively low amounts of sensitive information, most of which is in the form of personnel-related data. Following the systems of the Directorate for Financial Management (DFØ) and its systems, there is established two-step internal control system for sensitive information. Furthermore, ICR has made sure that the access to its switches, firewall and fiber internet entry point is restricted within ICR´s new offices and thus in effect to ICR/ State employees. The service provider for internet solutions has also been consulted in terms of security assessments, and has performed some trials to this effect with ICR employees. One has also started assessing utilization of cloud-based work environments including specific security measures. This work continues into the next year.
Concerning emergency and safety plans: Work with societal safety and preparedness is an integral part of the Centre´s operations. While ICR also have offices at Diehtosiida and the Fram II Centre, their respective emergency plans and concepts developed are available for the Centre. Based on this, the Centre has also refined its plans for the rest of the office space, which will also be continuing into next year. The Centre has conducted safety drills in the period. The Centre annually prepares a concise risk and vulnerability assessment (ROS), as an integrated part of its risk management system. This has also been shared and a topic of discussion in the semi-annual meetings with the Ministry.

Planned Work in 2023 and Onwards
In the work plan for 2023 there are initiatives that will be continued in 2023 onwards.
Here one could especially mention the work with Arctic Council EALLU project, Arctic Indigenous Peoples´ Innovation FoodLab/ Culinary Institute, UArctic EALÁT Institute and course development, the ReindeerPortal.org, and especially the UNEP Peatlands & Nomadic Herders Project. The preparation and planning together with WRH of the World Reindeer Herders' Council Meetings and Congress will also be important. The Centre´s continued engagement in knowledge production, traditional indigenous knowledge, research and education will also be important for goal achievement.
Another area the Centre will have to focus on in 2023 and further, is the coordination of information and communication tasks in Russia, Mongolia, China and North-America, including gathering of information. In relation to this, the continued development work on the ReindeerPortal.org is key, where one seeks to ultimately reap the full benefits of modern information and communication technology for reindeer herders in a changing world, by building the ReindeerPortal.org into the best source of information on world reindeer husbandry. Development, evaluation and implementation of the course materials on circumpolar reindeer husbandry will also continue. The same goes for the further development of the network of information centers in reindeer husbandry.
The Centre will continue to build competence about the Northern areas amongst youth working in reindeer husbandry. This will be done directly at the Centre and through recruitment. This task will also be vital in the future.
As the common statement of world reindeer herding peoples from the 6 th World Reindeer Herders´ Congress, the Jåhkåmåhkke-Declaration will have clear impacts and implications for the work of ICR, as a very important policy document for the professional work of the Centre. The same goes for future WRHC Declarations.
It is considered important to define positive strategies to handle the situation that reindeer herders are in at the moment. This includes both research and development work, outreach, making visible the positive aspects of reindeer herding, educational and training efforts for capacity building, creating dialogues, and food diplomacy.
What is central is the cultures of reindeer herding peoples, cf. the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights article 27. This includes joik and traditional music, storytelling, food systems, and cultural expressions revolving around the reindeer and reindeer herding.
It would be important to continue the educational and training efforts on diplomacy, negotiations, leadership and resilience, under the Training of Future Arctic Indigenous Leaders umbrella. There is a potential to do more here, eg. in replicating course efforts with Harvard and others for a wider audience, based on ICR´s own resources and networks. This way, more young reindeer herders could be reached.
It is also seen as key to follow up and consolidate the Arctic Council, and to contribute where possible. This could include efforts like food diplomacy (eg. utilizing Boaššu/ FoodLab under different chairmanships), course development for youth, youth engagement, exploring possibilities for maintaining established contacts with reindeer herders in Russia, to name a few. These factors also represents important arguments to consolidate and support WRH, as an Observer to the Arctic Council and the voice of nomadic indigenous peoples in the Arctic.

Summing Up and Thoughts About the Future Work
The work of the Centre so far has shown that the need for such a Centre actually is much greater than initially assumed. This is no less the case under today´s tense international situation. The Centre has important functions in circumpolar reindeer husbandry and in the work with specialists, diplomats and authorities in the high north, functions that were not taken care of before. The large activity in and around the Centre reveals that it fills both professional needs, knowledge needs and coordination needs for the different groups the Centre is working with. The Centre has contributed significantly to people-to-people cooperation and public diplomacy in the Arctic. The Board would like to underline the important role of the Centre for the sustainable development in the high north, both seen from the cooperation with WRH and the Arctic Council, the work the Centre has done during IPY, in UArctic, in UNEP and the IPCC, as well as within the framework of the High North Strategy of the Norwegian Government.
Societal structures, infrastructure, institutions and organizations in reindeer husbandry are generally very diverse throughout the reindeer herding world. Infrastructure is often quite challenging in the most isolated reindeer herding communities, and many threatened reindeer herding cultures today are to be found in the eastern parts of Eurasia, like China and Mongolia. It is therefore necessary to continue and even strengthen the international focus of the Centre for it to succeed in its mandate to maintain a sustainable reindeer husbandry internationally. The composition of the Board of the Centre needs to reflect the geographical scope of the Centre, including regional networks, contacts and legitimacy at large.
Even though the Centre has come a long way since its startup in 2005, the work to establish its structure is not yet finished. There is still much work to be done to consolidate and develop the Centre into an international tool for circumpolar reindeer husbandry, not least seen in relation to the needs and the very serious, complex and diverse challenges of reindeer herding societies in the high north today. As such, the Centre will still be in a development phase for some time. This is also key under the current international situation.
Due to the special current international situation, the Centre´s work on true people-to-people collaboration between Arctic indigenous peoples is seen as more important than ever before. In a situation where the political cooperation is more challenging, and national economies are receding, there are clear dangers and experience that ordinary indigenous people are the first to feel negative impacts from this situation. Therefore it is of utmost importance that the Centre is properly equipped and made able to function as a real hub for transparent and concrete people-to-people collaboration in the north. This will be of importance both to reindeer herding societies, the northern indigenous peoples, the Arctic region, as well as mainstream society.
As the Centre has expanded since its startup, there are now more activities and people involved than initially expected. The Centre moved its main administration into the Duodjesiida building in Kautokeino in November 2020, providing good space and working environment for the main base of employees, adequate location for profiling and so on. At the same time, the Centre still maintains connections to Diehtosiida in Kautokeino (the Sámi Science Building), with collaboration partners and projects, and office space on site. The Centre maintains an office at the FRAM II Centre in Tromsø, Norway. While the offices in Russia have now been closed, there is under establishment offices in Mongolia.
Looking at the project portfolio of the Centre, it is however also clear that there are some limitations to further expansion of project activity in terms of the current basic funding.
Issues like translation and interpreting are natural parts of the work of an international Centre. This includes Mongolian and Chinese languages. This is a challenge that also has financial consequences. The Centre needs to use financial resources on this in order to be able to function internationally, especially in conjunction with the reindeer husbandry regions in the east. The experience from 2006-2022 show that this represents a larger expense than initially thought. The Board does not see it as possible to reduce these expenses if the Centre shall function according to its intentions. The traditional knowledge of the people engaged in reindeer husbandry is also stored and accessible through different languages of the indigenous peoples in the high north. This is a challenge in itself.
The Board recommends that the financial basis of the Centre should be strengthened in future budgets so that the Centre will be better able to carry out its tasks and reach its goals in appropriate and rational ways. The Board wants that the following fields should be prioritized: -Support to WRH: As another issue it has not been possible with the current situation to allocate one labour man-year for support to WRH, although this was recommended by the interdepartmental working group in 2004. This needs to be corrected because cooperation with WRH is a critical success factor for reaching the goals of the Centre, especially concerning maintaining and developing contacts with different regions of reindeer husbandry and the different reindeer herding peoples in the north -both on the short and long term perspective. The Board sees this as a key issue. -Boaššu / NOMAD Indigenous FoodLab: Because Arctic indigenous reindeer herders today are facing unprecedented change and therefore also specific challenges, it is of outmost importance to secure that also local indigenous communities are able to exploit possibilities arising from Arctic change. The establishment of a culinary institute/ FoodLab for Arctic indigenous peoples represents a new approach to handle Arctic change, building on the traditional knowledge on food culture in the local communities in a new and positive way. Today, traditional food culture of Arctic indigenous peoples are hardly documented and used for local business development and value-added for reindeer herders. The issues of food security and food safety for indigenous peoples is also gaining international attention in face of Arctic change. This project is linked to the (currently paused) Arctic Council EALLU project, the finished RCN Rievdan project WP3, the upcoming GEF/UNEP Peatlands and Nomadic Herders project, as well as potential links with the earlier BIRGEN initiative of the Women's Network in Reindeer Husbandry. Therefore, the Board stress the importance of this initiative by ICR and WRH, and urge the need to secure appropriate funding through ICR to give momentum to this initiative, through funding for engagement of indigenous youth in local economic development. While the FoodLab is administratively operated by ICR, it is seen as a joint venture with WRH, whose networks are key for its operations. The Ministry's investment support and other support for the FoodLab is seen as a very positive contribution. The concept also holds great potential for food diplomacy, as experiences from the FoodLab up until now clearly illustrates. This potential could be leveraged in different forums, like the Arctic Council and the UN, between reindeer herders and mainstream society, but also between different subgroups of indigenous peoples. The common denominator is that indigenous peoples´ food has the potential to join (differing) people together. -The need for the Centre, its work and activity: It is evident that the need for the Centre internationally is much larger than assumed earlier. The Board sees that there is a clear need for strengthening the professional resources of the Centre, to meet the real challenges and needs that exist in international reindeer husbandry. It is therefore clearly necessary to increase the staff at the Centre, especially when focusing on the reindeer herding regions in Mongolia, China and North-America. It is also necessary to secure resources to establish a network for local reindeer herding centres. -Multilingualism: The expenses in connection with multilingualism in the Board and in the work of the Centre will exceed the calculated expenses in the report from the interdepartmental working group in 2004. This has got to do with the international composition of the Board and with expenses to translation and interpreting etc.
These conditions all mean that the budget for 2023 will be very tight. This also puts a limit on the possibilities to handle further external funding for the professional activities of the Centre, even though financial opportunities for project funding may exist.
Finally, the full range of consequences of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine is at this moment unclear, while it may also have some longer-term impacts for the Centre´s international work. ICR will continue to follow the situation, and respond as appropriate.!

The Board´s Comments to the Accounts for 2022
The International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR) was established by the Norwegian Government in 2005 in Kautokeino, as a contribution to the unique international cooperation of circumpolar reindeer herding peoples. ICR is an independent professional unit, with its own board and budget. Its core funding is provided by the Norwegian Government through annual grants from the budget of the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. The annual accounts constitute part VI of the annual report of ICR.

Confirmation
The financial statements are prepared in accordance with the regulation for financial management in the Norwegian State, circular R-115 from the Ministry of Finance, the Letter of Awards 2022 from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, and the requirements for ICR in the Directive on Financial Management. The Board believes the accounts provide a comprehensive picture of the Centre's disposable appropriations, recorded expenses, revenues, assets and liabilities.

Assessment of Significant Issues
In 2022, ICR has disposed total grants of expenditure on chapter/ item 056 301 of NOK 6 555 416, cf. the appropriation report. Under-expenditure for item 01 was NOK 149 584 and will be transferred to next year.
In addition, the Centre has costs of totally NOK 6 022 736 on chapter/ item 056 321 -Special operating costs, for charging costs of externally funded projects. The grant may be exceeded following corresponding additional income on chapter / item 356302. Total external funding is NOK 7 481 203. Remaining external funding of NOK 1 458 467 is placed in account number 2902 and are available for the subsequent years. The reason for this under-consumption in 2022 is connected to grants on multi-year projects. External funding may be received one year and can be used for project expenditures the subsequent years, to the extent that the income comes before the expenses. Concerning chapter/ item 500 21 on additionally funded expenditures for the Boaššu/ NOMAD FoodLab of totally NOK 849 164, we have an overspending of NOK 24 989.

The Framework for the Financial Management of the Centre
The Letter of Awards from the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, and the main Directive for the Financial Management at ICR as of September 2, 2020 lays out the framework for the management of the finances of the Centre. In these documents, there are regulations on financial management, routines and reports, as well as more detailed rules on the dialogue between ICR and the Ministry.

The Budget and Accounts for 2022
With reference to the Board decision on ICR´s Budget for 2022, the periodic economic report and prognosis to the Ministry by 31 August 2022, the Board's discussion and decision on the ICR Budget and Accounts for 2022, and the accounts for 2022 from Norwegian Directorate for Financial Management (DFØ), the ICR accounts for 2022 are found in the reporting list of grants at the end of this report. Key figures are also presented in chapter 2.4 above.
The accounts show an under-consumption/result of NOK 149 584 for 2022 concerning the basic budget (ie. apart from projects). This is within the 5% transfer limit and will be applied transferred to 2023.
In sum there is a surplus on project income of roughly NOK 7 481 203, largely due to multiyear projects continuing into 2023, where the income has come before corresponding expenses.
Based on expenditure and cost sites (and allocation of wages for administrative tasks and the Chair), the costs for administration and operations were NOK 1 766 097, or 13 % of the total account of the Centre in 2022. These shares are in line with figures from previous years, demonstrating that a relatively limited amount of ICR´s budget is used for administration tasks. As mentioned, ICR has reduced its use of external consultants by 54%, to NOK 32 452.
Similarly, NOK 11 686 208 or 87% of the total expenditure in 2022 were allocated to professional activities, ie. including projects and the boards work. In other words, most of the Centre's resources are allocated to professional work, and only limited amounts on administration and operations. This is roughly on the same level as previous years.
With regards to Projects, the accounts show that 51% of the total income of the Centre for 2022 was external financing. Net short-term debts per December 31, 2022 amounted to NOK 1 902 250, consisting of unused project funds, tax deductions for the 6th term of 2022 and VAT.

Additional Information
The Office of the Auditor General of Norway is the external auditor confirming the Centre´s annual accounts. The audit report can be read on our website www.reindeerherding.org when it becomes publicly available.

Appendix: Note on Principles to the Annual Accounts
Annual accounts for government businesses are prepared and presented in accordance with further guidelines laid down in the regulations for financial management in the Norwegian State ("Regulations"), adopted 12 December 2003 with amendments, the latest of 02 September 2020. The annual accounts are in accordance with the requirements in the Regulations, section 3.4.1, specific decisions in circular note R-115 from the Ministry of Finance, and any additional requirements determined by own Ministry.
The reporting list of grants includes an upper part with a report of grants, and a lower part showing values that the business is listed up with in the capital accounts. The report of the ledger accounts has an upper part showing what is reported to the government accounts according standard plan for accounts for state businesses, and a lower part showing groups of accounts that are included in the account for national treasury.
The reporting list of grants and report of general ledger accounts are prepared of the base of the Regulations, section 3.4.2 -the basic principles of annual accounts: a) The accounts follow the calendar year b) The accounts contain report of all expenses and revenues for the financial year c) Expenses and revenues are kept in the accounts with the gross sum d) The accounts are prepared in accordance with the cash basis/principles The reporting lists of grants and report of general ledger accounts are prepared according to the same principles, but grouped by various account plans. The principles correspond with the requirements in the Regulations, section 3.5 on how businesses must report to the government accounts. Total sum line "Net reported to the grants accounts" is similar in both lists.
All government businesses are affiliated with the state group accounts scheme in Norges Bank in accordance with the requirements in the Regulations, section. 3.7.1. Ordinary administrative agencies (gross budget businesses) are not supplied with available funds throughout the year. At the end of the year, the balance of the individual accounts is reset at the transition to a new year.

Reporting of grants
The reporting list of grants shows the business' accounts numbers reported to the government accounts. The report is listed up after chapters and items in the report of accounts, which the business has been given authority to dispose. The report shows all financial assets and liabilities of the business listed in the state capital accounts. The column for total grants shows what the business has been granted in the Letter of Awards for each combination of chapter/item.

The report on ledger accounts
The report on ledger accounts presents accounts numbers that the business has reported to the government accounts accordingly the standard plan for accounts state businesses. The enterprise has a credit facility for disposable awards on the consolidated accounts in Norges Bank. The supports shall not be recognized and therefore do not appear as revenue in the report.
Note 6 to the report on ledger accounts show differences between the settlement with the treasury and the state treasury.