DEH CHO - As the countdown to the Vancouver Olympics draws to a close a dozen Deh Cho residents are preparing to represent the region and the territory to the world.

Twelve people from the Deh Cho, including performing and visual artists, Dene games athletes and youth ambassadors will be in Vancouver as part of the territories' delegation to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Karen Cumberland of Fort Liard is one of 10 visual artists from the NWT who will be displaying their work in Vancouver during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

John Sabourin, who is originally from Fort Simpson but now lives in Kingston, Ont., is one of 10 visual artists from across the territory who will be at the games. He will be in Vancouver from Feb. 13 to 2.

Karen Cumberland of Fort Liard, who specializes in birchbark baskets, will be at the Olympic sites from Feb. 20 to 27.

Sabourin said he was pleased to be one the two visual artists chosen from the Deh Cho.

"I was really excited, looking forward to representing the NWT as well as my home town at Vancouver to the world," he said.

Sabourin is both a carver and a painter. Thirteen of his carvings will be on display and for sale at Canada's Northern House in Vancouver.

"I'm looking forward to talking about the North and the arts and culture of the North," he said.

While at the Olympics, Sabourin said he will be promoting Virginia Falls and flying into the Nahanni National Park Reserve. He also plans to highlight fishing opportunities, Yellowknife, and music from the territory.

The visual artists will be representing the regions and the people of the territory both as artists and as cultural ambassadors, said Camilla MacEachern, the co-ordinator of the arts and fine crafts section of the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

The purpose of the visual artists program is to "showcase to the visitors of the Northern House the unique talents of our artists," MacEachern said.

The artists will have the chance to demonstrate their skills, teach workshops at schools and retail their products.

"This is putting them on a world stage. Experience is a huge thing," said MacEachern.

Visual artists are just one small part of the territory's involvement in the games. The territorial government is expected to spend a core budget of $2.7 million on activities related to the Olympics, said David Stewart, the assistant deputy minister with the Department of the Executive.

The budget covers the marketing campaign the NWT has launched in conjunction with Nunavut and the Yukon as well as Canada's Northern House, the Right to Dream Program, and the delegates who number more than 81.

The territory's involvement in the games is designed to meet three objectives, said Stewart: to promote the NWT as a place to live, visit and invest in; to highlight the culture and performances of residents; and to promote the development of youth leaders and community pride.

One of the primary vehicles for these messages is NWT Day, to will be held on Feb. 19. The daylong celebration and showcase of the territory's arts, culture, people and places will culminate in a feature performance at the nightly victory ceremony at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver

Fourteen performing artists from the territory, including two from the Deh Cho, will perform prior to the medal ceremony. The performance will be simultaneously broadcast at the Whistler Medal Plaza.

"We're quite excited about that opportunity," said Stewart.

The victory ceremonies are highly popular and tickets to many of them have already sold out, he said. NWT Day will be joined with efforts from Nunavut and the Yukon as part of Northern Weekend that will last from Feb. 19 to 21.

The performers, traditional athletes and youth ambassadors will also be kept busy at a variety of other events spread throughout the Olympics and Paralympics, said Stewart. Part of their goal will be to direct people towards Canada's Northern House.

Located in downtown Vancouver, the Northern House is a pan-territorial effort to promote the territories.

Since its opening on Jan. 15, about 20,000 people have already visited the building.

"The response has been really quite phenomenal," said Stewart.

Stewart said that he expects the visitor numbers to climb steadily throughout the games, which launch on Feb. 12.