Dear colleagues,

As many of you know, the Forsa/NASSW Conference was postponed to 11-12 November 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.   Preparations for the upcoming conference are in full order and we sincerely hope that we will be able to welcome you all to Reykjavik in November.

However, we might be forced to move the Forsa/NASSW Conference online if there will still be uncertainties about restrictions (e.g. travel restrictions) due to the corona outbreak and the outlook for November.  This decision will be made no later than at the beginning of August 2021. While we sincerely hope that the Forsa/NASSW conference can be held in Reykjavik in August we have to be open for the possibility to move the conference online.

We will announce no later than 13 August in what format the conference will be held and as soon it has been announced we will open for registration.

In accordance with the uncertainties of how 2021 will look the early bird fee registration has been set to the late date of 1 October 2021.

Please note that the dates for deadline for abstract submission is 15 May 2021 and the notification of acceptance of abstracts is still 1 July 2021.

On behalf of the organizing committee in Iceland,
Steinunn Hrafnsdóttir, Steinunn Bergmann and Guðbjörg Ottósdóttir

 “No one will be left behind”: Social Work and Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges for social work practice, education and research.”-

It is a great pleasure for Ís-Forsa, The Association of Icelandic Social Workers and the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Iceland to host this Nordic event and to welcome all the participants.

During the conference we hope to have an open dialogue, critical discussion and mutual exchange with a focus on sustainable social work in a broad context.  We will discuss the role and responsibility of social work in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, that were adopted by the UN General Assembly and launched in 2016. The SDGs are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. It should be very natural to the social work profession to work towards the SDG goals, as is evident from the global definition of social work that was approved in 2014:

 “Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work.  Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing” (IFSW/IASSW 2014).

We look forward seeing you in Reykjavík.  We hope that the Forsa Conference 2021 in Reykjavík will be a stimulating event with an interesting and challenging professional programme, exciting workshops and critical dialogue.

We are looking forward to meeting you in Reykjavík!

On behalf of the organizing committee in Iceland, 
Steinunn Hrafnsdóttir, Steinunn Bergmann and Guðbjörg Ottósdóttir