The matter in summary Ålesund municipality has decided to no longer give the Russians a gathering place. That worries the third-graders at Fagerlia at Ålesund upper secondary school. The Russians fear that removing a gathering place will lead to more exclusion and a greater focus on getting a place on the Russian buses. Mayor Håkon Lykkebø Strand stands by the decision and believes that it is a culture that the Russians must work with themselves. Education Minister Kari Nessa Nordtun encourages local initiatives that promote community for Russians, and believes that gathering places are important for an inclusive Russian era. The third-graders in Ålesund are calling for the reintroduction of the gathering place to promote inclusion. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. There are over 200 days until the Russian season starts, but the name of the Russian group is already in place, the Instagram account has been created and the Russian clothes have been put into use. The third-year students at Fagerlia will be wanderlust, and they want a gathering place. The government, which is in the process of putting in place national guidelines for the Russian era, also wants the Russians to gather in one place. Ålesund municipality has usually given the Russians a place to be, and this year they created a separate festival area. But now they have turned around. They will no longer give the Russian a separate place to party. – It will probably be more exclusionary that a meeting place is removed, at least for the wandering Russians. There will be more focus on the fact that we have to get to rolling sites, says Julie Slinning. Julie Slinning believes that Ålesund municipality should turn around and arrange a gathering place for the Russians. She believes it will create more inclusion. Photo: Remi Sagen / news – The buses are becoming more important Lydia Bjørke and Hennie Standal-Nordmo also fear that removing a gathering place will have negative consequences for the celebration. – The meeting places that Russians have had access to before have been an arena for everyone to meet – even if you are not on a bus. It has been a place where everyone is included, says Standal-Nordmo. – What consequences could it have? – Getting rolling space on the buses is becoming more important. It shouldn’t be. Then there will be more exclusion. And that is precisely what both the government and others have shouted the greatest warning about – that the Russian buses take up too much space during Russian times. Lydia Bjørke and Hennie Standal-Nordmo are both looking forward to Russian time, and think it’s a shame that they can’t organize a meeting place. Photo: Remi Sagen / news I think the russet season is tougher – Ålesund municipality is the only one in the county that has arranged for a separate place of residence. It has not worked, claims mayor Håkon Lykkebø Strand (Frp), who stands by the municipality’s decision. The mayor points out that Russian celebrations take place in the streets and on buses, even though they have their own place to stay. – I think there will be a fight to get on board the Russian buses regardless of whether we offer space or not. It is a culture the Russians have to work with themselves, he says. Håkon Lykkebø Strand, mayor of Ålesund municipality. Photo: Mia Sofie Ytreberg / news Minda Myklebust in the municipality is the person who has had the closest contact with the Russians in the past, and works, among other things, with the prevention of drug addiction and crime. She says that the Russian era is going in the wrong direction. – But at the same time, Ålesund municipality chooses to get less involved in the Russian era. Why that? – It is complex. Russetida is tougher and much more challenging for those concerned. We need national guidance now. We need clear signals on how it should proceed. As a municipality, we cannot do this alone, says Myklebust. Minda Lovise Myklebust was the Russian contact in Ålesund municipality in 2024. She says that the festival area they arranged for the Russians did not function optimally. Photo: Mia Sofie Ytreberg / news Calls for a meeting place Minister of Education Kari Nessa Nordtun says they are working to put national guidelines in place. Among other things, they want the bus time to come after the exam, and a ban on busses that are side-by-side or have standing spaces. – And then it is important that locally you think about having good schemes that promote community for Russians. If there are places where they can stay and be together, which are not exclusionary, where they can celebrate together. It is incredibly important. Education Minister Kari Nessa Nordtun says it is important that the individual school works for an inclusive Russian time. Photo: Remi Sagen / news – Now Ålesund municipality has tried this, but has moved away from it. They think it didn’t work. What do you think when you hear that? – I don’t know the situation concretely, but what is important is that you work with the county council and not least the individual school to promote an inclusive Russian time, she says and adds: – Even if they have experienced this last time , then there will be a new batch of Russians next year with completely new people. So I hope Ålesund municipality doesn’t just give up after one attempt. There will be new young people, with whom you will hopefully experience a better collaboration. Minda Myklebust adds that Ålesund municipality has arranged for a permanent place of residence since 2019, when the Russian buses arrived. – So we certainly don’t give up after one try, she says. Do you think the municipalities should give Russians a gathering place? Yes, it’s only positive! No, they have to figure that out for themselves. Don’t know. Show result The Insta account has been created, and the Russian group Hijack 2025 is ready for the Russian season. Photo: Remi Sagen / news Ready for Russian time The graduating students in Ålesund are also concerned that Russian time must be inclusive. And they are clear about what should be done to achieve that: – Have a meeting place that you have had in the past. That measure should be withdrawn, because it will lead to less exclusion, says Slinning. But meeting place or not, they are looking forward to it: – I hope it will be fun, that we get to celebrate 13 years of schooling in a nice way with all our friends, says Standal-Nordmo. Hennie Standal-Nordmo hopes the municipality will turn around and give them a meeting place. Photo: Remi Sagen / news Published 03.10.2024, at 22.37
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Ålesund municipality will not give the Russians a gathering place – think it leads to more exclusion – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
