ICC Holds Workshops to Develop Circumpolar Protocols for Equitable and Ethical Engagement of Inuit Communities and Indigenous Knowledge

August 30, 2021 – Anchorage, Alaska – Inuit Delegates from circumpolar countries – Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Chukotka (Russia) – are meeting today, for the first in a series of workshops, to begin developing Inuit Circumpolar protocols for the Equitable and Ethical Engagement (EEE) of Inuit communities and Indigenous Knowledge. The protocols will be a crucial tool in advancing Inuit sovereignty, directions, and priorities at national levels and within institutions and international fora, such as the Arctic Council and United Nations.

“There is a pressing need for large-scale institutions to be responsive and adaptive to understand and address diverse issues across scales. Such adaptation requires the involvement and use of Indigenous Knowledge to inform research, observation and monitoring programs, as well as governance.” said ICC Chair Dalee Sambo Dorough.

The 2018 ICC Utqiaġvik Declaration – the road map for the organization’s international work – directs ICC to facilitate the development of the EEE protocols. To develop the protocols, ICC will facilitate discussions amongst nominated Inuit Delegates from across Inuit Nunaat in a series of virtual workshops, beginning today with an Introductory meeting. All Delegates have a strong foundation in Inuit Knowledge and awareness of the challenges and solutions that lie at the community, regional, and international levels. This work is further informed by a synthesis report developed by ICC. The report brings together information and documents on Inuit-produced rules, laws, values, guidelines, protocols, and principles that provide guidance on how others should engage with our communities and our knowledge.

The bulk of the work of developing and drafting the EEE protocols will take place during two longer workshops to be held in September and October. Each workshop will be held for three days, no longer than three hours per day. A final two-day meeting is planned for November to review key points and actions raised during the workshops and to further inform the drafting of the EEE protocols.

A draft final document is expected to be circulated to all ICC member organizations in early 2022 for a one-month review process. The final draft is scheduled to be submitted to the ICC Executive Council by the spring of 2022 for approval and released to the public prior to the 14^th ICC General Assembly. The protocols will be useful to all those interested in working within Inuit Nunaat, working through meaningful partnership with us, will aid to foster equitable and ethical engagement of our communities and knowledge, and will further support Inuit sovereignty.