Speakers and sessions already confirmed include the following:

  • Foreign Ministers of three countries will speak in the Assembly's Opening Session.
  • Switzerland will present its vision, its policies and its involvement in the Arctic in a plenary Country Session.
  • RAND Corporation is organizing a breakout session on Russia-U.S. cooperation in the Arctic on issues such as search and rescue coordination, oil spill prevention, black carbon mitigation, and scientific research.
  • The North Atlantic Cooperation (NORA) committee of the Nordic Council of Ministers is organizing a session together with the Bellona Foundation on an Arctic Renewable Energy Grid.
  • The Group on Earth Observations will organize a plenary session on the status of earth observations in the polar regions consisting of a mix of scientific experts on the various earth systems -- atmosphere, climate, oceans, sea ice, hydrology, glaciology and biology.
  • The Institut nordique du Québec and the Government of Québec are organizing a breakout session aiming to spur dialogue between governments, science and traditional knowledge on ecosystems, economies, and climate change.

While the plenary sessions are the responsibility of the Arctic Circle, the breakout sessions are organized by various participating partners in their own name and with full authority over the agenda and the choice of speakers.

For more program news and information on the Assembly, please visit ArcticCircle.org.