In October the Arctic Mayors’ Forum joined thousands of participants in Reykjavik for the annual Arctic Circle Assembly. Every year thousands of people gather to listen and share about opportunities, challenges, and the development of the Arctic. Six of our members were at the Arctic Circle Assembly, as well as representatives from the AMF Secretariat. Youth from eight AMF member municipalities were also at the Arctic Circle Assembly as participants in the third annual Arctic Policy Hackathon which took place in Reykjavik right before Arctic Circle. At the Arctic Circle, AMF members spoke about sustainable housing in the Arctic, youth representation, waste management, youth mental health, participated in a Polar Bears den where mayors ‘pitched’ their city to a youth panel, and much more.
AMF was on the ground in Iceland the week before the Arctic Circle Assembly to launch the Arctic Mentorship Program, which is part of the EU funded Youth Together for Arctic Futures project. Young people from across the Arctic gathered in Akureyri, an AMF member municipality, where they met mentors from various fields in the Arctic. Together mentees and mentors got to know each other, connected about shared passion for the Arctic region, and made a plan for the 18-month program.
Early the next week, AMF jumped straight into the third Arctic Policy Hackathon, where 16 youth from across the Arctic met and discussed challenges and opportunities related to Arctic tourism. The youth spent two and a half days sharing stories, expertise, and experiences in order to develop a set of policy recommendations to guide the future of Arctic tourism. The importance of prioritizing Indigenous Peoples, communities, culture and knowledge, protecting the environment, prioritizing local communities, and building appropriate infrastructure emerged as key themes in the policy recommendations. Participants went on to share the policy recommendations in meetings with Senior Arctic Officials, the EU Arctic Envoy, AMF mayors, and other policy makers. At the Arctic Circle, participants sat on a panel where they presented the recommendations to a full audience.
AMF hosted a session about housing in the Arctic, where six members of the Forum shared the unique challenges related to building and maintaining affordable and appropriate housing in the Arctic. Mayor Marie-Louise Rönnmark from Umea, Sweden highlighted the importance of focusing on the life-long investment of building good housing that promotes community. Mayor Ásthildur Sturludóttir from Akureyri spoke to the shared challenge of short-term rentals, such as AirBnBs, which take up an increasing share of the housing market in highly visited parts of the Arctic. Mayor Asisaun Toovak from Utqiaġvik, Alaska noted the struggles associated with building climate adaptive housing that is suitable for the extreme weather and melting permafrost caused by the climate crisis. Mayor Carina Sammeli from Lulea, Sweden spoke to the high cost of building in the Arctic, and pointed out that the cost of building a home in the Arctic is often greater than the value of the home itself. Mayor Ulla-Kirsikka Vainio spoke about the unique challenges like cost, access, and tourism facing Rovaniemi, Finland. Mayor Avaaraq Olsen from Sermersooq, Greenland shared an innovative solution being piloted in her municipality where shipping containers are being converted into small, affordable homes for students and unhoused people in many communities.
AMF member Avaaraq Olsen from Sermersooq, Greenland and AMF Secretary General Patti Bruns spoke on a panel organized by the Arctic Council and Arctic Youth Network about youth participation and engagement in the Arctic. AMF co-hosted a session about youth mental health in the Arctic, where people participated in a difficult, but insightful sharing circle. Three AMF mayors participated in the Arctic Economic Council and Arctic Youth Networks ‘Polar Bears Den’ where they pitched their cities to a panel of youth judges.
The Arctic Circle Assembly is an important place for organizations like the Arctic Mayors’ Forum to offer share knowledge from local people who have direct insight into the needs and challenges facing local and Indigenous communities in the Arctic. Thank you to all of our members, our partners, participants, and everyone who showed up to our sessions at ACA.