The III Barents Indigenous Peoples' Congress will take place in Tromsø on February 3-5. A delegation of representatives of the Vepsian Culture Society, Petrozavodsk, Vepsian rural settlements of the Republic of Karelia, the Leningrad and Vologda regions will take part in its work, portal Karelia Official reports.

The Vepsian Culture Society Regional Public Organization of Karelia is taking part in the Barents indigenous peoples' cooperation since 1997. The territory of the Barents international cooperation comprises administrative circumpolar regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Thus, the Barents Euro-Arctic Region includes Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark in Norway, Kainuu, Lapland and Oulu in Finland, Norrbotten and Västerbotten in Sweden, and Arkhangelsk and Murmansk regions, republics of Karelia and Komi, and the Nenets Autonomous District in Russia.

The Barents region has a vast and varied natural resources potential, diversified industry, high scientific potential, the experience of economic management under extreme conditions, a lot of attention is paid to the observance of indigenous peoples' rights in all spheres of cooperation.

The III Barents Indigenous Peoples' Congress is supposed to include sessions and a conference "Barents Indigenous + 50", as well as the indigenous peoples' concert.