The first international Sámi Conference was officially opened in Jokkmokk, Sweden on August 31, 1953 and closed four days later on September 3. Since then, the Sámi conferences have come to be important venues for the Sámi across Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia to come together and discuss critical Sámi issues. Delegates have used the conferences as a forum to approve cultural symbols such as the Sami flag, the Sámi anthem Sámi soga lávlla, and Sami National Day.
| Conference | Location | Main theme |
|---|---|---|
| XXII 2021 | Gällivare, Sweden | [1] |
| XXI 2017 | Trondheim, Norway | Self-determination, rights to natural resources, Sámi languages[2] |
| XX 2013 | Murmansk, Russia | Sápmi 2053 - Sami culture and intensive industrial development[3] |
| XIX 2008 | Rovaniemi, Finland | [4] |
| XVIII 2004 | Áváhki, Norway | Sápmi for the Sámi |
| XVII 2000 | Kiruna, Sweden | Self-governance |
| XVI 1996 | Murmansk, Russia | Verddevuohta in the north — the Sámi model |
| XV 1992 | Helsinki, Finland | The Sámi unite in Europe |
| XIV 1989 | Lakselv, Norway | Self-governance |
| XIII 1986 | Åre, Sweden | Tourism in Sápmi |
| XII 1983 | Utsjoki, Finland | |
| XI 1980 | Tromsø, Norway | Sámi political program |
| X 1978 | Arjeplog, Sweden | |
| IX 1976 | Inari, Finland | How do the Sámi live and why? |
| VIII 1974 | Snåsa, Norway | Work and work methods at the (Nordic) Sámi Institute |
| VII 1971 | Gällivare, Sweden | Sámi cultural policy |
| VI 1968 | Hetta, Finland | Do the Sámi have a future in the Nordic Countries: Sámi, governmental and civil rights |
| V 1965 | Tana, Norway | Sámi plans for the future |
| IV 1962 | Kiruna, Sweden | Democracy and minorities |
| III 1959 | Inari, Finland | Reindeer husbandry, language issues, etc. |
| II 1956 | Karasjok, Norway | Scholastic and educational issues, natural resources and ways of making a living. |
| I 1953 | Jokkmokk, Sweden |
