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Editorial

Shared Voices 2021 Editorial

By Outi Snellman, Vice-President Organization, UArctic

I am quite certain that when we celebrated the UArctic Launch almost twenty years ago to the day, nobody could have imagined that by 2021 UArctic would have grown into a strong global membership organization with over 220 members in 22 countries and nearly 70 interdisciplinary Thematic Networks and Institutes.

It is easier to look back and try to recall the past than it is to imagine the future. Nevertheless, in this issue of the Shared Voices Magazine we celebrate UArctic’s 20 years since the launch through stories about the future: visions and aspirations. What is important for the sustainable development of the Arctic? What is important for its peoples? And most importantly, what is the future like for the generations that are now in the university?

We also pay tribute to Professor Bill Heal, who passed away in early 2021. He was instrumental in the early history of UArctic – the history that led to the Launch. Bill and the numerous early founders of UArctic shared a vision, and I do not believe any of us have had reasons for regret. UArctic has been true to its promise to the governments, to the Indigenous peoples’ organizations, and to its members.

Finland’s Minister of Science and Culture Annika Saarikko analyses the role of UArctic in her article: “UArctic has contributed in many ways to education, science, sustainability, and policy-making, and its active role in connecting researchers and policy-makers has been important. […] Another central aspect has been its ability to bring northern voices and knowledge into the larger discussion arenas. This increases not only understanding and respect towards the region, but it also contributes to the sustainability work. This immensely important outreach work is an area worth amplifying through UArctic’s cooperative network at large.” This same perspective is highlighted in the interviews of Michael Pogodaev and Evon Peter, from Sakha (Yakutia) and Alaska, both representing Arctic Indigenous peoples. As to the member organizations, the growth and breath of activities is perhaps the best indication of the need and also success of UArctic.

Finally, a few words about the cover photo. In early 2021 UArctic organized a photo competition with the theme “Arctic Polarities”, resulting in excellent submissions from around the North. The cover photo, taken by Esa Pekka Isomursu of the Reykjavík skyline, came second in the staff category. For me, this is what UArctic represents: nature, built environment, art, and the very purpose of UArctic – peace – represented by the light monument designed by Yoko Ono. This spring we were all supposed to gather in Iceland to celebrate the end of the Icelandic chairmanship of the Arctic Council and the start of the Russian one, as well as gather in science discussions in the UArctic Congress. This is not how things turned out in this COVID-19 era, but we can be amazed by this history of environmental cooperation and peace-building through governments and people and peoples of the region working together. We can imagine being there.

Table of Contents

  1. Letter from the President

    By Lars Kullerud

  2. UArctic – an Indispensable Arctic Actor

    By Annika Saarikko

  3. Growing Connections Between Scotland and UArctic

    By Richard Lochhead

  4. Canada’s Vision for Arctic Youth Empowerment

    By David Sproule

  5. In Memoriam: Oliver William (Bill) Heal, 1934-2021

  6. Arctic Philanthropist: Interview with Frederik Paulsen

    By Hannele Palviainen

  7. Interviews of UArctic Board members: Anne Husebekk

    By Arne O. Holm

  8. Interviews of UArctic Board members: Evon Peter

    By Arne O. Holm

  9. Interviews of UArctic Board members: Mikhail Pogodaev

    By Arne O. Holm

  10. Becoming Circumpolar: Reflections on Origins and Outcomes

    By Amanda Graham

  11. New Directions in Circumpolar Studies: Launching the Læra Institute

    By Anthony Speca, Anthony Speca, Heather Nicol and Gary Wilson

  12. UArctic at a Glance

  13. Arena for the Gap Analysis of the Existing Arctic Science Co-Operations

    By Hanna Lappalainen and Stephany Mazon

  14. North-Eastern Federal University: Sustainable Development & Bridging the Arctic and Asia

    By Vladimir Suzdalov

  15. UArctic-HIT Training Centre: A Bridge Between Arctic and Chinese Universities

    By Yi-Fan Li

  16. 14 Years of Arctic Indigenous Collaboration with BEBO – How Has It Been?

    By Marina Falevitch and Mika Aromäki

  17. Collecting Knowledge from Finnmark’s Plateau to Japan

    By Amanda Åsberg

  18. Arctic Makes: Observations, Lessons, and Solutions from the Geographic Periphery

    By Svetlana Usenyuk-Kravchuk and Timo Jokela

  19. CHARTER – Towards a Broader Understanding of Arctic Complexity

    By Philip Burgess

  20. Eating Plants to Mitigate the Impacts of Climate Change on Tundra?

    By Isabel C. Barrio et al

  21. A Sense of Home Across the Arctic Through Wild Foods

    By Harmony Jade Wayner

  22. Improved Water Access and Sanitary Conditions in Rural Arctic Settlements

    By Pernille Erland Jensen and Aaron Dotson

  23. The Arctic Yearbook: An Open Access Platform for Arctic Studies and Research

    By Lassi Heininen and Heather Exner-Pirot

  24. The Battle of the Arctic: To Drill or Not to Drill?

    By Angelina Giordano

  25. 6G as a Universal Connectivity Provider in the 2030s

    By Harri Saarnisaari, Hanna Saarela and Marja-Matinmikko-Blue

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