How to create a resilient society?

How to create a resilient society? Insights from Lithuania, Finland, and Sweden

Russia‘s aggression against Ukraine has changed the global security environment, forcing many countries to rethink their defence strategies, where civil defence plays an important role. Creating a strong civil defence is a long and continuous process – it is about creating a culture of resilience within, and a willingness to defend our societies. To create a strong civil defence and ensure our societies’ resilience, many different actors must communicate and cooperate; state authorities, regions, municipalities, civil society actors and the private sector. 

The knowledge and skills possessed by individuals, as well as their security-oriented attitude, form the basis for a resilient society. Nordic countries are record-holders in the World Values Survey’s “Willingness to Fight for Country” (75 to 87 per cent of respondents stating “Yes”). How did the Nordics get there and what can the Nordics and the Baltics learn from each other?