Polar Perspectives IPY Speaker Series & Youth Forums: Success!
POLAR PERSPECTIVES (www.nature.ca/polar) wrapped up on Friday, October 16, 2009. Since its launch at the Canadian Museum of Nature on April 1, 2008, the series traveled to 15 venues across the country, in each of Canada’s provinces and territories! This pan-Canada IPY event was supported by the Government of Canada’s International Polar Year Program, the Walter & Duncan Gordon Foundation, the Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada, Students on Ice, the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Canadian Geographic Magazine, the National Inuit Youth Council and the Canadian IPY Youth Steering Committee.
The Speaker Series consisted of an evening lecture program delivered to a general audience by prominent scientists, writers, artists, filmmakers, adventurers and leaders. Speakers gave audiences the latest knowledge on the IPY, Arctic issues and their impact on both the northern and southern Canadian population. Topics ranged from environmental and cultural issues in the north to recent polar research discoveries. A two-speaker format drew on local, national and international speakers. Each evening program included special presentations, contests, and IPY-related booths and displays.
The Youth Forums were full-day educational programs providing secondary school students with a unique opportunity to learn about Arctic ecosystems, northern issues, IPY, climate change, Antarctica, and much more. Video-conferencing throughout the Canadian Arctic enabled northern youth to share their thoughts, stories and perspectives with other northern and southern youth regarding Health, Culture, Climate Change, Conservation, Sovereignty and other topics. Participating students were tasked to answer such questions as “What does the Arctic mean to you?”, and challenged to make “IPY Commitments”.
The free public lectures were well attended and a variety of IPY speakers, including Dr. Louis Fortier, Director of ArcticNet; Dr. Elizabeth Peacock, Polar Bear Researcher for the Government of Nunavut; Geoff Green, Founder & Executive Director of Students on Ice; Karsten Heuer, Author of Being Caribou; as well as many other representatives from Canadian Museums, Universities and IPY projects. The most recent public presentations at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto we made by Dr. Peter J. Van Coeverden de Groot (“Inuit Role In The Monitoring of Polar Bears In The Face of Global Climate Change”) and Dr. James Drummond (“A PEARL Near the Pole: Atmospheric Research at the Top of the World”).
The Youth Forums have been a resounding success! Over 750 students have participated in 16 events! Participating students have learned a great deal about the polar regions, the IPY, and have been motivated and inspired to become more engaged and to explore further opportunities.
Polar Perspectives has received excellent media coverage across the country (CBC, CTV, various newspapers, print and electronic media).
Thank you to all series partners for making Polar Perspectives IPY Speaker Series & Youth Forums such a success!
For more information, please contact Tim Straka at tim (at) studentsonice (dot) com or 1-866-336-6423.
