Arctic Indigenous Peoples: A Dialogue and Perspectives on Common Concerns for Sustainable Societies

Open seminar hosted by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network and the Centre for Arctic Policy Studies at the University of Iceland, Tuesday 15 May from 14:00-16:45 at the Nordic House.

Indigenous peoples have a particularly important status within the Arctic Council and six indigenous peoples’ associations are Permanent Participants in the Council. These are the Aleut International Association (AIA); Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC); Gwich’in Council International (GCI); Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC); Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON); and the Saami Council. All Arctic countries except Iceland include indigenous populations, making it particularly important for Iceland to ensure visibility and recognition of indigenous peoples’ issues during the Icelandic chairmanship of the Arctic Council.

The seminar is open to the public and conducted in English.

Programme:

14:00 – 16:45 Seminar and Roundtable Discussion

14:00 – 15:00 Seminar

Chair: Helga Ögmundardóttir, Lecturer, University of Iceland

Opening remarks: Bryndís Kjartansdóttir, Senior Arctic Official, Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Keynote Speakers

1) Josie Okalik Eegeesiak, Chair, Inuit Circumpolar Council
2) Ellen Inga Turi, Vice President, Saami Council
3) Chief Gary Harrison, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Chair BOD Indigenous Peoples´ Secretariat

15:00-15:15 Coffee and refreshments

15:15 – 16:45 Roundtable discussions

Chair: Jón Haukur Ingimundarson, Senior Scientist, Stefansson Arctic Institute

Participants include:
• Tukumminnguaq Nykjær Olsen, MA Student West Nordic Studies / Polar Law
• Liza M. Mack, Interim Executive Director, Aleut International Association
• Hjalmar Dahl, President, Inuit Circumpolar Council, Greenland
• Gunn-Britt Retter, Head of the Arctic – and Environmental Unit, Saami Council
• Anna Degteva, Excecutive Secreatry, Indigenous People‘ Secretariat
• Níels Einarsson, Director, Stefansson Arctic Institute
• Embla Eir Oddsdóttir, Director, Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network

16:45 Reception