“WE’RE COOL LIKE THAT” INUIT YOUTH CONFRONT CLIMATE CHANGE AT UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“WE’RE COOL LIKE THAT” INUIT YOUTH CONFRONT CLIMATE CHANGE AT UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE

December 2nd – 9th 2011 in Durban South Africa

ARVIAT, NUNAVUT 

Inuit youth researchers and filmmakers from the Nanisiniq Project will spend part of the winter presenting at the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP17/CMP7) in Durban South Africa.

For youth from Arviat, Nunavut this is a chance to influence the governments negotiating the Kyoto Protocol and to raise awareness among NGOs, corporations, universities, Indigenous groups, and youth from around the world on how climate change is affecting Inuit from the Canadian Arctic.

Youth will host a week-long exhibit, present a mini side-event on Inuit issues, meet with African youth journalists from Lesotho, and interview Kumi Naidoo from Greenpeace. They will document the international event using video and make a film about their experiences upon returning to Arviat.

To prepare for COP17/CMP7, Mr. Jordan Konek, 23, from Arviat created the film, “Experiences of Climate Change from Inuit Elders”. Today the film was made publicly available through YouTube: http://youtu.be/NK8YFA3G9JY. Mr. Konek’s work was recently highlighted at a multi-geographic film festival which connected the Arviat community, York University, the University of British Columbia, and viewers from across Canada to watch films on Inuit climate change perspectives.

Listening to what Inuit Elders have to say about climate change is important. Mr. Jordan Konek states, “There are a lot of reasons why we should use Inuit Elders as our leaders to make changes, they know a lot.”

Inuit youth researcher, Mr. Curtis Kuunuaq Konek, 21, from Arviat will also be attending COP17/CMP. He thinks its important for young people to learn more about Inuit traditional knowledge and is looking forward to sharing Inuit climate change lessons with a global audience in Durban. 

Dr. Frank Tester, professor from the University of British Columbia School of Social Work and UBC sociology undergraduate student Ms. April Dutheil will also be travelling to COP17/CMP with the Koneks.


 

DATES OF INTEREST

  • December 3-9th: Hosting booth at International Conference Centre, Durban SA

  • December 5th 4pm SAST: Live broadcast by Inuit youth at Digital Media Lounge

  • December 6th 10am SAST: Mini Side-event at Climate Change Studio

  • December 6th 3pm SAST: Press Conference at the Kosi Palm Room located on level 2

 

For more information please contact:

April Dutheil, Research Assistant, Canada

Email: aprildutheil@gmail.com

or

Tamar Mukyunik, Arviat Coordinator, Canada

Email: hivulipta@gmail.com 

 

Thank you to our friends and supporters.

IMAGES FROM THE FILM Experiences of Climate Change from Inuit Elders. TODAY THE FILM WAS MADE PUBLIC THROUGH YOUTUBE: HTTP://YOUTU.BE/NK8YFA3G9JY. 


Arviat and Toronto link together with Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Film Festival

Written by Rachel Hirsch, York University 

 York University’s Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability (IRIS) and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) are co-hosting a series of virtual activities to help organize in advance of the 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties in Durban, South Africa (COP17).

The Nanisiniq Project is partnering with York University to screen the following films in parallel on September 27, 2011 starting at 6 p.m CST in Arviat and 7pm EST at York University:

We are synchronizing with Arviat, Nunavut so that we all watch the movies at the same time and then can have a dialogue with Arviat youth/community members and Toronto youth/community members afterwards. For those who cannot attend the event in person, we will be circulating a link for the online dialogue as soon as it is available. Join our Facebook event for the link.

Arviat: Join us at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at the Arviat High School.

York University: Join us at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at the Curtis Lecture Hall (CLH) F