Alone together / together apart

A pandemic is by definition a global phenomenon, but it is experienced in a hyper local context – in our specific countries and communities and on each of our bodies. And one of the major lessons we have recently learned is that a pandemic can interfere with our lives in various ways.

Although Covid-19 has (at least here in the North) almost disappeared, its implications has far from vanished. Many experiences, losses and grievances remain. Being isolated from friends, colleagues and family members was most likely hard for many of us. But one group in particular suffered immensely, namely our young people who were isolated from their friends during some very crucial years.

Everyone who has endured those transformative teenage years knows how important it is to be surrounded by peers. This book is an attempt to give space and time for reflections on one important question: How did our youth experience this time of seclusion?

In each of the towns in our Nordic Twin Cities: Mosfellbær (Iceland), Skien (Norway), Uddevalla (Sweden), Loimaa (Finland) and Thisted (Denmark) we have asked this question to a group of young people. And the result is this book.