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KIVALLIQ/IQALUIT
Eight Kivalliq youths from five communities were among a group of Nunavut students who gathered for a special forum on the global marketplace in Iqaluit earlier this month.

Taking part in the event from the Kivalliq were Trina Qaqqaq and Virginia Ullyot of Baker Lake, Innosar Issakiark and Gwendalyne Ishalook of Arviat, Scott Sammurtok of Chesterfield Inlet, Blanche Tegumiar of Repulse Bay, and Hilary Angidlik and Art Sateana of Rankin Inlet.

The annual Global Leaders Centre is a Junior Team Canada program administered through Global Vision.

The program engages Canadian youth, aged 16 to 25, in the role their region plays in the global economy.

It allows them to obtain the skills, knowledge and experience required to succeed in today's marketplace.

The youths meet with business, government and community leaders during the conference to hear, first-hand, what it takes to become a global entrepreneur and Canadian leader.

The conference offers interactive activities for youths to learn about their role in the territory and country, business, trade, and development.

The importance of fostering young leaders in Nunavut was highlighted throughout the conference.

Every youth who attends a Global Leaders Centre gets the chance to apply to one of Junior Team Canada's additional programs, such as an economic trade mission to Asia, a development mission to Africa and a national youth caucus in Ottawa, among others.

Six of the Nunavut youths who attended the Iqaluit conference will be selected for the Ottawa caucus where, among other highlights, they'll meet Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Former Junior Team Canada delegates will also be present to share experiences and what they learned on an international mission.

Tusarvik School's Marianne den Haan of Repulse Bay organized the Iqaluit conference.

Den Hann said youths were brought to the gathering from more than 20 Nunavut communities.

She said it was fantastic to be in Iqaluit and see how extremely strong this generation of Nunavut's young leaders truly are.

"We created a document and a movie that are going to be presented to the prime minister in June, and we also met with Premier Eva Aariak at the conference," said den Hann.

"The students had strong opinions on what's going on in their communities, and it was pretty incredible to see them share those opinions with the premier.

"The discussions and communication between the different communities on current issues affecting the North, as well as the future and branding of the North, were also neat to be a part of.

"So I would have to say the conference went very, very well."

Den Hann said Aariak had great things to say about the youths who attended the conference.

She said the premier was quite impressed by the communique presented to her by the Nunavut students.

"We hope to hold a North-meets-South initiative in Iqaluit this coming October.

"We plan to bring in representatives from communities across the North to meet with young leaders from across southern Canada."

Den Hann said after some initial nerves and shyness, the Kivalliq students became quite involved with the Iqaluit proceedings.

She said as the conference went on, the Kivalliq youths learned the skills of leadership, networking and branding.

"Our students realized they have a voice that needs to be heard and, by the end of the conference, none of them wanted to go home.

"It was neat to see them all sitting together, chatting and having a good time on the plane ride home, because, on the way to Iqaluit, everyone was sitting on their own and doing their own thing.

"So, there was definitely a transition between the students who came back and the students who left."

Den Hann said the Kivalliq students will be able to apply what they learned at the conference to life in their communities.

She said having them become leaders in their community is the prime goal of the program.

"Some of them are starting youth governments within their hamlet, while others are doing larger initiatives like starting volunteer groups or leadership-and-action training in their home communities.

"It will be quite exciting to see six of our Nunavut students representing the brand of Northern Canada at the Ottawa caucus."

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