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Ted Harrison's painting that is in on the cover of the Ottawa Declaration

The Arctic Council at 25


- Part I -
Ted Harrison painting

Northern World

The painting “Northern World” by the English-Canadian artist Ted Harrison is displayed on the cover of our founding document, the Ottawa Declaration. The 25th anniversary of the Council might be a reason for you to revisit the document. You will find it here.

25 years of peace and cooperation

25 years of peace and cooperation

Arctic Frontiers 2021 panel

How have Arctic States and Arctic Indigenous peoples built trust and joined forces to tackle pressing issues in the Arctic? How has the unique cooperation within the Arctic Council developed over the years? To answer these questions and to mark the Council’s anniversary, the Arctic Frontiers hosted a high-level dialogue on the Council’s track record of 25 years of successful circumpolar cooperation and on the future of the Council. Read the summary.
Screenshot from the virtual Arctic Frontiers panel
Iceland's Foreign Minister Thordarson

Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson
Iceland's Foreign Minister

"Through the Arctic Council and its Permanent Participants and Working Groups, Arctic scientific research and cooperation is crucially benefiting our communities and helping them thrive in a sustainable way."
Norway's Foreign Minister Søreide

Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide
Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs

"We have over the time jointly invested substantially to build a robust multilateral framework in the region, creating the basis for peaceful cooperation. And all the Arctic States have a common goal in keeping it that way." 
Russia's SAO Nikolay Korchunov

Nikolay Korchunov
Russian Senior Arctic Official 

"We consider the Arctic Council a forum for cooperation aimed to provide responsible governance of the Arctic. The dynamically changing environmental and geopolitical situation require Arctic States and likeminded countries to work towards a broad partnership in the interest of sustainable development of the Arctic." 
Edward Alexander Co-Chair GCI

Edward Alexander
Co-Chair Gwich'in Council International

"Because the military issues are excluded, we are actually able to focus on peaceful interventions, on things that we can talk in common about, and it also allows for Indigenous peoples to be at the table and to participate at a much higher level."

Time witness and youth input

An anniversary is an occasion to reflect on the past but also to look ahead on future tasks and goals. The Arctic Frontiers panel offered room for both and invited a time witness and two youth representatives to share their thoughts through pre-recorded messages. Ambassador Anton Vasiliev, Russian Senior Arctic Official (2008 to 2014) shared his view on why the Arctic Council is so successful. Darling Anderson from the Aleut International Association emphasized the importance of revitalizing Indigenous languages and Olga Nikolaeva from RAIPON urged the Council to put more emphasis on youth engagement.
 
Photos of Ambassador Vasiliev, Darling Anderson and Olga Nikolaeva

Quiz time!
Quiz banner
Scientists in the Arctic

Quiz teaser

The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, a milestone 2004 report, brought Arctic issues to the global agenda. In addition to drawing on the latest scientific findings, the report also included another important knowledge source. Which one?

Find the answer and what else happened during the first Icelandic Chairmanship here.

Arctic Council Active
Two skiers on a mountain

Move the distance around the Arctic Circle 

Calling all active Arctic inhabitants and enthusiasts to join #ArcticCouncilActive with an ambitious starting goal: moving the distance around the Arctic Circle before the Council’s Ministerial meeting on 20 May 2021. Learn more and track your distance.
Photo of Benjamin Strong

Bonding through activity:
The creation of Arctic Council Active

Benjamin Strong, Chair of the Search and Rescue Expert Group in EPPR, recounts the inspiration behind Arctic Council Active and the goal of moving the distance of the Arctic Circle. Read his guest post.

Coming up
Seal caught in fishing net

International Symposium on Plastics in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic Region

The International Symposium on Plastics in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic Region has been resceduled to take place online on 2-4 March and 8-9 March 2021 due to COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about the symposium, how to participate and what's on the agenda here.

The Arctic Council's social corner
Aleuts at the Arctic Council inauguration
Arctic Council meeting during first US Chairmanship
Inauguration of the Arctic Council in Ottawa
For our 25th anniversary we are diving deep into our photo archive and featuring photos from all previous Arctic Council Chairmanships on our social media channels. 

From the Indigenous Peoples' Secretariat Facebook feed


IPS logoPermanent Participants are launching a new “25th Anniversary Arctic Storytelling Initiative”. In auspices of this project, the Permanent Participants Youth create a series of podcast telling PPs' stories on occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Arctic Council. Youth will work together with PPs and each podcast will highlight selected stories by the PPs and their role in the Arctic Council.

Finland and Iceland supported Permanent Participants' initiative and all other Arctic countries are invited to join supporting this project. The storytelling initiative aims to create an opportunity for the #PPYouth to work together, learn new skills using contemporary technologies and increase knowledge of the history of the PPs as well as tell the unique stories of the Arctic Council Permanent Participants.

In the picture: Deenaalee Chase-Hodgdon, Arctic Athabascan Council youth representative. Hodgdon is a creator and host at ‘On The Land Media’, producing ‘On The Land Podcast’ and works closely with the project.

Explore the IPS Facebook page.
Deenaalee Hodgdon recording a podcast
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Contact us directly: media@arctic-council.org

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