Alumni Expedition: Iceland and Arctic Circle Assembly Full Recap
From October 13-22 2023, Students on Ice brought a group of six Alumni from the Canadian North with diverse backgrounds together with three members of Kativik Ilisarniliriniq for an educational journey across Iceland. The expedition would end with our attendance and participation in the 2023 Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik at the stunning Harpa Center. Our team would even be speaking on the panel “Vision for the Arctic: Young Leaders’ Perspectives on Community Needs & Policy Shifts” to an international audience during the conference.
We began by exploring the south of Iceland, discovering the geological monuments of this beautiful country. We took a journey back in time, where the scale made us feel small and humble. The stunning cliffs at Port Leopold Island, tabletop-style mountains in Croker Bay, and the Sirmilik National Park in Cape Hay helped us connect to nature at a pace that was comfortable for everyone. In this mineral immensity, our little bus was our home, and our Icelandic guide Lilya bridged the gap between our worlds and hers. Her expertise helped guide our understanding of Icelands unique geography, and how it plays such a crucial role in its environment and climate. Our respective curiosities led to discussions and awareness-raising about the climate emergency and the need for food and energy autonomy. The link between the isolation of the Canadian North and Iceland came up several times – proof of the importance of informal times and authentic experiences in creating genuine and open discussions between participants and expedition crew members. As our expedition continued, everyone became aware that they could contribute something to the group through their lived experiences, history, and knowledge. Our educators Sarah and Christina played an important role in sharing their knowledge of the Inuktitut language and culture. Even the more reserved participants gained self-confidence and surprised themselves, as they were fueled along by the group’s inertia.
By the end of the on-the-land portion of our expedition, we already had a lot of memories, running jokes, and a feeling that we’d been on the road together for a month. It was now time to anchor our group in Reykjavik for the next several days and turn our attention to the Arctic Circle Assembly. Picking up our badges and the program from the Harpa Concert Hall was the perfect opportunity to familiarize participants with the workings of the conference and choose which panels they would like to attend. Once registered, we undertook a series of exercises with the participants to enable them individually to define what story they wanted to tell about themselves and what message they wished to share with the public in the context of the Arctic Circle Assembly. This year, the Arctic Assembly wanted to give greater prominence to the voice of young people, especially indigenous youth. Several discussions were held, inviting young people to talk about their region, their culture and their reality in the face of climate change. The exercises were a success as by the time of our panel, the room was full and each participant could express themselves clearly. Views sometimes differed, but all was done in a spirit of mutual respect, due in large part to the informal time spent together.
This second part of our expedition demonstrates the relevance of providing tools to young people so that they can deliver messages with depth and confidence. Making their voices and messages heard within their communities, or within the context of a global assembly will be crucial in developing the next generation of leaders. At this Arctic Circle Assembly, they needed to make their voices and their message heard by all the players in the Arctic regions, including the highest levels of government and decision-makers.
Throughout the expedition, from day one of the pre-program in Toronto to the time we boarded our departing flights, our Expedition Lead, Lynda Brown, made sure that connection and Inuit Knowledge were overarching themes of our journey. Through the Power of Isuma, participants connected their head and their hearts and were able to discover and foster personal meaning during the expedition. This made our expedition to be more than just a geographical journey, but also a personal one for each participant. That was the ultimate aim of our expedition – to guide our young leaders so that they can make a difference.
We wish every one of our participants the best of luck as they continue their journey and believe in themselves. The Alumni program will always be here for them and we know our paths will cross again. See you next year, Iceland!
View the photo gallery from the on-the-land portion of our expedition here.