It’s going to be a busy week for convenors and presenters alike at this year’s Arctic Congress. One of the first events to start the week will be moderated on May 29 by Maeva Gauthier and Dr. Jeff Birchall from the University of the Thematic Network on Local-Scale Planning, Climate Change and Resilience.

We hope everyone who is attending the conference will be able to attend this very special and important side event. 

This exciting panel will highlight experiences and learnings, followed by a workshop to discuss more specific ideas to develop a circumpolar education program. The workshop will build off previous experiences and insights from members of UArctic thematic networks and institutes from several Arctic countries:

1. UArctic Thematic Network on Local-scale Planning, Climate Change and Resilience, Canada
2. UArctic Thematic Network on Verdde Indigenous Education
3. UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Plastic Pollution & GRID-Arendal, Norway
4. UArctic Læra Institute for Circumpolar Education, University of the Arctic
5. The University of Alaska Anchorage Institute of Social and Economic Research (members of the UArctic Thematic Network on Teacher Education for Social Justice and Diversity)

The aim of this Thematic Network is to explore how communities confront climate change, including examination of governance structures around climate adaptation and processes dealing with it, and how they seek to adapt to emerging challenges from rising temperatures and more extreme weather events. The research will provide a better understanding of local expertise and will highlight the value that a community planning perspective brings to the discourse on climate resilience. It will shed light on local government decision-making dynamics, including motivational factors and the extent of planning for climate resilience.

A panel will highlight education case studies and experiences to give a sense of approaches to an inclusive place-based education program that can highlight UArctic thematic networks, their graduate students and community partners. Moderated by Maeva Gauthier (UVic), the panel will comprise of:

This panel and workshop aim to establish new relationships and strengthen existing ones to develop a locally-centered and student-focused education program on environmental change and resilience. The goal is to co-create a circumpolar education program on these topics.

• Jeff Birchall, Director, Climate Adaptation and Resilience Lab, University of Alberta, Lead, UArctic Thematic Network on Local-scale Planning, Climate Change and Resilience (panelist).
• Diane Hirshberg, Director & Professor of Education Policy, Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage, Member, UArctic Thematic Network on Teacher Education & UNITWIN/UNESCO Network on Teacher Education (panelist).
• Sean Asikłuk Topkok, Professor, Director of the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies, Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks, Member UArctic Thematic Network on Verdde Indigenous Education
• Helene Svendsen, Lead of the UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Plastic Pollution and Project Manager, GRID-Arendal, Norway (link)(panelist).
• Anthony Speca FRGS FRSA, Adjunct Professor, School for the Study of Canada, Trent University, Canada. Managing Director, Læra Institute for Circumpolar Education, University of the Arctic. trentu.ca/canadianstudies and laerainstitute.org (panelist)
• Moderated by: Maeva Gauthier, PhD Candidate, Geography and Program Manager, UNESCO Chair in Community-based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education, University of Victoria, Canada (Moderator).

Art Borups Corners would also like to acknowledge the amazing projects, organizations and programs that have been supporting our activities these past two semesters, in particular: the University of the Arctic, Live It Earth, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, University of Minnesota Duluth, OpenAI and its Researcher Access Program for supporting our project activities. We also acknowledge the funding and support from Manitoba Agriculture and the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership – Indigenous Food Systems program, and the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Indigenous Intellectual Property Protection Program. The Art Borups Corners Youth, Arts and Media Team is funded with support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment and Skills Program. We also thank Maeva Gauthier and the University of the Thematic Network on Local-Scale Planning, Climate Change and Resilience. 

To learn more about Art Borups Corners and its activities, visit the news page at: http://artsincubator.ca/news