Rankin Inlet (Aug 13/03) - It was an event that drew the Kivalliq together against a common enemy.

That enemy is a frightening suicide rate that claims the lives of a high percentage of Nunavut youth.

"We have the highest suicide rate in Canada," said Nadia Sammurtok.

The 20-year-old Rankin Inlet resident was one of the organizers of the Reaching Out 2003 Suicide Prevention Walk.

One of the youth co-ordinators at the Pulaarvik Kablu Friendship Centre, she has been heavily involved in suicide prevention.

"It's a big issue," she said.

Sammurtok, along with her counterpart Nangmalik Ford, are working on a suicide prevention video. Sammurtok also attended the Canadian Suicide Prevention Conference in Iqaluit earlier this year.

Awareness is important she said, but solutions are hard to find.

"The reasons are different for everyone. Some have nothing to do and turn to alcohol. For others, it's something personal they are going through," she said.

The 13-kilometre walk to Elder's Cabin over the August long weekend may not be a solution to the suicide problem, but organizers hope it was a medium for healing.

Angie Kubluitok and Veronica Tattuinee were two of the driving forces behind the walk.

Kubluitok said the healing sessions that were held at the camp site went very well.

"A lot of people came out who had been effected by suicide and they spoke about the hurt and the pain," she said.

"A 15-year-old boy commented 'You are not alone, talk to a friend, because suicide is not the answer.'"

In all, 57 people joined the walk from all seven Kivalliq communities.

Kubluitok said the number was exactly what they had hoped for.

Her only complaint, she said, is next time she will be sure to have a way to control passing traffic.

She was disappointed that many passing vehicles did not respect the fact they were walking near the road.

Despite that she said the weekend was fun and a good chance to meet new people and make new friends.