Against the background of Putin’s aggressive war in the Ukraine, the local tourism inter-trade organisation Svalbard Reiselivsråd encouraged the member companies not to spend money in the Russian settlements in Spitsbergen, Barentsburg and Pyramiden.
Popular in the past, now controversial: the brewerey in Barentsburg.
It was just a few days ago that Svalbard Reiselivsråd initially made a different decision, arguing that boycotts and sanctions should be measures between governments and states, but not on a local level. The recent turnaround came because many pointed out that the income generated in the Russian settlements benefits the owner of the settlements including all touristic offers and services: the Russian state-owned Trust Arktikugol, or in other words: the Russian government, which now leads a brutal and illegal war in the Ukraine.
Svalbard Reiselivsråd does not advise against tours to Barentsburg and Pyramiden, just from spending money there. Tours especially to Barentsburg used to be very popular before the recent large-scale Russian invasion started. These excursions usually included a local meal and an opportunity to buy souvenirs, including locally made ones. Many tour operators will now stop this practice.
But not all: also the new decision is controversial. There are those tour operators who argue that such boycotts will hit the wrong people, namely the local population – which includes many Ukrainians – rather than the regime in Moscow.
Svalbard Reiselivsråd makes only recommendations to the member companies, but these recommendations are not binding. Every tour operator will decide individually if they will continue tours to the Russian settlements and if they continue to buy and pay for local services.
The sun festival (solfest) is an important highlight in the annual calendar for many in Longyearbyen. It is traditionally celebrated on 08 March, when the first direct rays reach Skjæringa, the oldest part of Longyearbyen. On this day, a large crowd comes together at the stairs of the old hospital (which does not exist anymore) close to the church.
Sun festival (Solfest) in Longyearbyen.
This was also what happened in good tradition this time, although clouds on the southern horizon threatened to spoil the event. Many locals and certainly also a number of tourists gathered to celebrate the return of the light. The traditional programme includes singing, and when the sun was fighting to get through around 12.45 hours, she was lively cheered to until she indeed finally came out, to everybodies great delight!
Sun festival in Longyearbyen: “Here comes the sun” 🙂
Talk of luck – soon, the horizon disappeared again behind a grey curtain of clouds.
The sun festival is actually nmore than “just” the 08th of March, it is a whole week with a series of various cultural events. Some of them, such as the traditional revye that always comes with the solfest, have to be postponed by several weeks because too many of the artists are currently fighting Covid-19 🙁