In 2025, the five Nordic nations – Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland – along with the Baltic state of Estonia, stand out as the world’s least corrupt countries. According to the latest global indices, these countries top corruption-perception rankings with scores in the high 70s and 80s (out of 100), far above the global average. This feature explores how they’ve achieved such clean governance, the historical and cultural roots of their integrity, and why it matters – from innovation to public happiness.

Iceland has made history as the first Nordic nation – and the fifth country overall – to officially boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 (the 70th edition set for May 2026 in Vienna). The decision by Iceland’s public broadcaster RÚV was driven by widespread domestic backlash to Israel’s inclusion in the contest amid the ongoing war in Gaza.

Pamela Anderson, now 58, has been reinventing herself and reconnecting with her heritage. Known for her iconic glamour in the 1990s, she has recently adopted a more natural look and candid approach to life. At the height of her fame, Anderson was synonymous with Baywatch and the quintessential California beach persona. Now, in a heartfelt turn of events, the Hollywood icon is baring a different side of herself – one deeply connected to the Nordic roots in her family tree.

The three Baltic nations – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – are charting a new course in 2025 by exploring nuclear energy as part of their strategy for energy security and decarbonization. Historically dependent on imported fossil fuels and the Soviet-era grid, these countries have faced pressing geopolitical and environmental challenges, especially after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted a rapid shift away from Russian gas and electricity.

When Finnish engineer Ari Kurvi takes a hot shower or turns up his home thermostat, an unlikely source keeps him warm: a nearby data center. As its servers churn through terabytes of information for video calls and web searches, an elaborate system of pipes harvests the excess heat and feeds it to homes in the town of Mäntsälä, Finland.

The European Union’s top court has delivered a historic victory for LGBTQ+ rights, ruling that all member states must recognize same-sex marriages lawfully performed in any EU country. In a decision announced on November 25, 2025, the Court of Justice of the EU (ECJ) held that refusing to acknowledge such marriages is “contrary to EU law” because it infringes fundamental rights – specifically the freedom of movement and the right to respect for private and family life.

Locals in Riga like to pose a trivia question: What was the biggest city in the 17th-century Swedish Empire? The answer, surprisingly, is Riga. This stately Hanseatic port on the Baltic Sea once outshone Stockholm itself. Yet today, Riga is a relatively modest Baltic capital, eclipsed by Nordic powerhouses like Stockholm and Copenhagen. How did a city that was once the Swedish Empire’s largest fail to become the dominant metropolis of the Baltic?

Imagine riding a subway under the snow-dusted streets of Scandinavia, surrounded by art-covered tunnel walls or gliding driverless through a sleek station. The Nordic countries boast a handful of metro systems – in Stockholm, Oslo, Helsinki, and Copenhagen – each reflecting the era and ethos in which it was built. Meanwhile, across the Baltic Sea, ambitious subway plans once flickered in Soviet times, only to be halted by history.

For a country often celebrated for its digital statecraft and quietly radical governance, Estonia has now achieved something even more improbable. According to a new analysis of global citation data, this nation of just 1.3 million people has become the world’s third most “scientifically wealthy” country, ranked behind only Iceland and Singapore – and notably ahead of its Nordic mentors, Finland and Sweden.

The Estonian Relief Committee in Canada (ERC) marks 75 years since post-war refugees built a new home and community in Canada. From the “Viking boat” arrivals of the 1940s to today’s 23,000 Canadians of Estonian heritage, the ERC has preserved culture and supported generations. The 2026 Let’s Celebrate fundraiser in Toronto will honor this legacy with food, music, and shared memories, highlighting resilience and the enduring spirit of Estonian-Canadians.

The Northern Voices is celebrating a milestone that once felt like a distant dream: our one-year anniversary as the premier digital platform for Nordic and Baltic culture in North America. Launched in mid-2024 with a bold mission to give Nordic and Baltic creatives “a louder voice in the American cultural landscape, one story at a time”, we have since grown into a thriving community with over 13,000 active users in our first year.

Next week, New York City will unveil Ernst Jaakson Way—a newly named section of East 34th Street honoring the legendary Estonian diplomat who kept his nation’s independence alive through half a century of Soviet occupation. The dedication, coinciding with Jaakson’s 120th birthday, celebrates not only the world’s longest-serving diplomat but also a man who turned a modest consulate office in Rockefeller Center into a beacon of freedom for Estonians worldwide.

In the summer of 1944, a young Estonian patriot named Endel Vaher fled his war-torn homeland with little more than faith and determination. Decades later – now known as Father Vello Salo – he would be revered as a quiet hero among Estonians abroad for keeping their culture and hope alive through the darkest years. From battlefields in Europe to classrooms in Toronto, and from Vatican City to remote Canadian forests, Salo’s life became a remarkable odyssey of service to his scattered nation.

In The Northern Voices, we often highlight artists who bridge their Nordic heritage with bold creativity, and Finnish songstress Camilla Bäckman exemplifies that spirit. Born in Helsinki and now making waves in the United States, Bäckman has carved an extraordinary path from classical violinist to multifaceted performer. She was a standout on The Voice of Finland and even became the first Finnish singer to join Cirque du Soleil’s ranks, before blossoming as a singer-songwriter with her own original music.

Kicks Off Tomorrow with U.S. Premieres, Oscar Contenders & Baltic Filmmakers