Svetlana Ashkamakina of Chukotka, left, Rebecca Kudloo of Canada, Adolf Petersen of Greenland and Kelsi Ivanoff of Alaska light the qulliq on July 21 to open the Inuit Circumpolar Council's 12th general assembly in Inuvik. - Laura Busch/NNSL photo

INUVIK
The importance of unity, how to adjust to the rapidly-changing Arctic climate and what sustainable development should look like dominated discussions in Inuvik last week during the 12th Inuit Circumpolar Council general assembly from July 21 to 24.

"Inuit are as diverse from Greenland to Chukotka, from Alaska to the Canadian Arctic," said Duane Ningaqsiq Smith, the ICC vice-chairperson for Canada, during his opening remarks July 21.

"We are one Arctic and together this week, we will help forge one future for our people.

"We have an opportunity this week to chart a course for the next four years, a course that will steer us through both the challenges of this rapidly and unpredictably changing Arctic, and as importantly, to also position our communities, our youth and our culture to take advantage of the opportunities of this changing Arctic."

That theme of how Inuit peoples should respond to the level of interest in development in the Arctic was a common thread throughout the assembly.

"Given the impacts of climate change on the circumpolar North, the ICC's work on environmental issues, sustainable development and the health and well-being of Northern peoples is absolutely essential," echoed Minister Robert C. McLeod, MLA for Inuvik Twin Lakes. "Health, land water and wildlife are absolutely essential to Northerners, so a balanced approach must be taken to balancing development with environmental considerations."

Nellie Cournoyea, chairperson and CEO of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, gave an emotional speech on the first day of the general assembly.

"I've been around a long time," she said to open her remarks. "I've seen a lot of great people from all countries, all Inuit countries, and I've been inspired by your leadership as we work together to be united."

At the conclusion of the assembly, delegates ratified the Kitigaaryuit Declaration, a document with 51 recommendations that will inform the work of the ICC for the next four years.

Common themes throughout the declaration include the importance of all circumpolar Inuit working together in unity to have a stronger voice on the world stage as decisions are made about the future of the Arctic, the need to slow down and mitigate the effects of climate change, concerns about opening the Arctic Ocean to commercial fishing, and support for a moratorium on this practice until fish stocks have been adequately assessed.

To complement the Arctic Council's new Arctic Economic Council, the ICC will create a Circumpolar Inuit Economic Summit which would facilitate international co-operation between Inuit-run businesses. A second Inuit-specific conference is planned to discuss wildlife management and planning.

On July 21, Smith said the 2014 general assembly was "perhaps the most important" in the ICC's history, given the interest currently being shown in the Arctic by industry and other nations.

During a press conference at the conclusion of the assembly, Smith said the meetings had lived up to his expectations, as Inuit leaders tackled a variety of common issues, including social problems, health, economic uncertainty and the changing climate.

"They didn't shy away from being open, frank and having meaningful deliberations," he said. "Hopefully, the Kitigaaryuit declaration reflects the direction and the importance of the issues that leadership has now given the new executive council to direct leadership over the next four years."

Along with the many geo-political issues discussed over the four-day assembly, cultural events and activities were held each night, and the assembly coincided with the 2014 Northern Games, held in Inuvik from July 21 to 27.

Drummers and dancers from Canada, Alaska and Greenland took turns sharing their traditional drum songs and dances from Monday to Wednesday. The Chukotka (Russia) representatives were unable to bring performers among their delegation of 15 people. However, the evening of July 24, delegates themselves displayed some of their dances and songs with the help of some of the Greenland drummers.

"We have a very small population of Ukpik people, around 1,700 people," said Chukotka ICC President Tatiana Achirgina through an interpreter July 24 on the impact the assembly had had on her. "We are actually assimilated by the bigger population of Russians. It was very good that we could find our family and find that we were united."

Many others commented that the quadrennial event served as a sort of family reunion throughout the assembly. The theme of the 2014 general assembly was Ukiuqta'qtumi Hivuniptingnun - One Arctic, One Future.

For many, including ICC chairperson Aqqaluk Lynge of Greenland, the key to achieving many of the goals set during the assembly was ensuring Inuit peoples of the circumpolar world stick together, even if their federal governments seem bent on "creating another Cold War."

The next ICC general assembly is to be held in Barrow, Alaska, in 2018.

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