22-27 April 2012, Montréal, Canada

From Knowledge to Action

Indigenous Knowledge Exchange

One of the important aspects of the current International Polar Year that sets it apart from previous Polar Years is the number of research projects that integrated scientific research with Indigenous knowledge, and the number of Indigenous communities that were actively involved in scientific research projects. Indigenous Northern communities have extensive intimate knowledge about the Arctic ecosystems in which they live (and have lived for millennia), and are at the forefront of debates about the impacts and responses to accelerating environmental changes in the circumpolar Arctic. The deep understanding of and intimate relationship Indigenous Northern communities have with the natural and physical environment present unique vantage points for a holistic understanding of the Arctic. Moreover, Indigenous Northern communities are best able to tell the important human story of the Arctic, making valuable contributions to our understanding of issues such as circumpolar health, governance, food security, etc.

The IPY 2012 conference will feature an Indigenous Knowledge Exchange (IKE) with programming developed by Indigenous peoples to highlight issues of interest and importance to community members of the circumpolar Arctic. The IKE will be open to all conference participants. Major topics to be addressed include: Food Security and Health, Changing Environment – Climate Change, Wildlife and Management, Youth and Capacity Building, Policy and Governance, and Knowledge Transfer. The Indigenous Knowledge Exchange is open to all conference delegates.

The Chair of the Indigenous Knowledge Exchange is Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Director of the Jane Glassco Arctic Fellowship Program at the Walter and Duncan Gordon Foundation, and former Canadian Member of Parliament.

In addition to the IKE, Indigenous programming will be featured in all areas of the conference, including keynote addresses, plenary panels, parallel sessions, and cultural performances.

Indigenous Knowledge Exchange Program Overview:

You can download the program in your language of choice:

 English version

 French version

 Inuktitut version

 Russian version

Contact

To learn more about the Indigenous Knowledge Exchange, please contact Meaghan Bennett by , or by phone at 819-934-9406.