News

Representatives of Indigenous Peoples organisations and UN agencies are currenltly gathered in New York for the UN Permament Forum on Indigenous Issues, 19-30 April.

Projects and programmes from UNEP/GRID-Arendal and Many Strong Voices - such as MSV's Climate Change and Food Security in the Canadian Arctic, and the Portraits of Resilience photography project - received specific mention of how UNEP is engaging within North America and the Arctic with indigenous peoples and their communities on environmental challenges.

Commissioned by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, "Assessing the impacts of climate change on food security in the Canadian Arctic" highlights the myriad of infuencing factors, examines the impacts of climate change on food security in the Canadian Arctic and how it compares to other global regions, and consider options for maintaining food security in the region.

“It is ironic that indigenous people from the Arctic and from the Small Island Developing States are the ones who have contributed least to climate change, yet those are the ones who are suffering most.”  These are the words of Dr. Ilan Kelman, co-coordinator of Many Strong Voices, a programme that works to connect indigenous communities from around the world that are affected by climate change.

The long-term, global disaster of climate change is already starting to cause problems around the world. Continuing scientific work with affected communities reveals two main lessons.

The Portraits of Resilience Exhibition was launched on the 21st February at Canada's Northern House, with guest speaker Simon Awa (Deputy Minister of the Department of Environment for the Government of Nunavut), and performances by Inuit throat singers and drum dancers. Portraits is also on display at two other locations - at ArtStarts (Vancouver), a gallery dedicated to young peoples' art, and at Norwegian Folk Museum as part of the Climate and People of the North Exhibition, from 6 Feb. to 14 March 2010.

The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation's Sámi Radio interviewed two students from Nesseby (Norway) on their experiences during the UN Climate Change Conference in December 2009.  These two students formed part of the Portraits of Resilience youth delegation who travelled to Copenhagen to take part in the launch of the Portraits exhibition.

Portraits of Resilience  featured on Canada's Broadcasting Corporations (CBC)'s "The Work This Weekend" Saturday 19 December. 

This 5 minute feature  includes interviews with Christine Germano (professional photographer and co-leader of the Project) and youth from affected communities featured in the exhibition.

John Crump - co-ordinator of MSV from UNEP/GRID-Arendal - delivers some thoughts and impressions on the conclusion of COP 15 in Copenhagen, together with a round-up of various news articles from the Arctic, SIDS, and across the world.

Welcoming Remarks to the Portraits of Resilience Exhibition Opening
By Gunn-Britt Retter, Member of Norwegian Saami Parliament
Danish National Museum, Copenhagen, 10 December 2009

A new MSV publication, entitled "Many Strong Voices: Turning Vulnerability into Strength", has been made available for the first time to participants at COP15.

Copenhagen, 10 December 2009 - A new photography exhibit is bringing the voice of young people in the Arctic to Copenhagen during the UN climate talks.

Arendal, Norway - Many Strong Voices is pleased to announce the launching of new online photo galleries from the Portraits of Resilience project.

Many of these photos are being exhibited as part of a Portraits Exhibition at the Danish National Museum in Copenhagen, running over the same period as the climate negotiations.

Copenhagen, 7 December 2009 – Many Strong Voices is gearing up for activities at the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen. MSV will be participating and sponsoring a number of events and activities over the coming two weeks.

The second MSV planning workshop took place in Washington, DC, 31 March to 3 April.