In 2006 FLL Open European Championship was arranged for the first time in Eindhoven in the Netherlands – 52 teams from 28 countries participated. In 2007 FLLOEC will be arranged in Bodø and FIRST Scandiavia is the official arranger. 

70 best teams from all 34 countries involved in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) network will come to Bodø and compete in a full scale FLL tournament. Champions and/or winners of the robot competition’s 1st prize (for some countries also the insight prize and the inventor prize) from all five parts of the world are to compete against one another in a fully rigged Bodø Spectrum.

We get to experience children in their knowledge development in which technology is the basis for everything happening in FLL OEC 2007. Enthusiasm, co-operation and enjoyment combined with self-confidence are to be cultivated as the central values along with the basic philosophy: “where children themselves are the driving force.” Innovation and entrepreneurship are the tools for this group of young people who have used several months to find their own solutions to a practical problem complex. This was already given to the children in September this year by way of the “Challenge” (see www.firstlegoleague.org). This year’s theme is Nanotechnology.


Multicultural meetingplace
With participants from 34 countries, FLL OEC 2007 forms a rare meeting place for developing knowledge about other countries. This will provide experience of participation in co-operation with people from other cultures and environments.

This is in itself a cultural exchange and provides a basis for understanding which has a value both in the short and the long run. The arrangement is an international meeting place at many levels.


International networks
FLL OEC 2007 especially emphasizes establishing arenas for good meetings between business and children. Experience so far shows that children have taken the initiative for contact and experience exchange with business to a much greater extent than first assumed. We think that developing good relations in this area can improve the understanding between today’s employers and the work force of the future.

Business coming to Bodø will see and experience the international culture of youth. What steps does business have to take today in order to be attractive in the future in an international work market? In the longer term this will strengthen business interests abroad.