Engaging Youth: Future Arctic Leaders Meet in Ottawa

On April 23, 2015, Future Arctic Leaders met in Ottawa, Canada, to discuss key economic, social and environmental issues in the Arctic region of importance to them. Over 20 participants, between the ages of 21-30, attended the workshop. The Future Arctic Leaders came from Canada, U.S., Norway and Russia, as well as from the Council’s indigenous Permanent Participant organizations, including the Inuit Circumpolar Council, the Aleut International Association, the Saami Council and the Arctic Athabaskan Council.

The workshop provided an opportunity to raise awareness among the future leaders of the work of the Arctic Council, and to create a sense of shared community, engagement and leadership on issues of common interest to young people in the Arctic.

In advance of the meeting, delegates were asked to produce a short original paper on a specific issue or theme related to their vision for the Arctic – under the heading of “What does ‘Development for the People of the North’ mean to you?”. At the workshop, participants discussed their vision for the future of the Arctic and identified a series of recommendations for actions that could be taken by the Arctic Council to help ensure a prosperous and healthy Arctic in the years to come. These recommendations will be summarized in a short report that will be delivered to a future meeting of the Arctic Council.

Click here to see photos of the Future Arctic Leaders Workshop.

Background

At the Kiruna 2013 Ministerial Meeting, Arctic state Ministers asked Senior Arctic Officials (SAOs) to recommend ways to strengthen the work of the Arctic Council. Engagement with youth was considered an important component of these efforts.

During Canada’s chairmanship, SAOs approved a proposal put forward by Canada to organize a workshop of young leaders from across the circumpolar region. Each Arctic State and Permanent Participant organization was invited to select up to three young persons to participate in the April 23, 2015 Future Arctic Leaders Workshop in Ottawa, Canada, which preceded the April 24-25, 2015 Iqaluit 2015 Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting.