Project Description
The Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW), held during March 20-28, 2025 in Boulder, Colorado, USA, was the first to feature an IP — a physical and symbolic acknowledgment that the voices, stories, and knowledges of the Indigenous Peoples represent vital scientific discourses, honoring both the ancient, the contemporary, and the future of the Arctic. Its success demonstrated the importance of investing in infrastructure, both hard (meeting space, exhibit space, campfire) and soft (schedule, food, ceremonies), for creating a collaborative atmosphere. It was also a space for knowledge exchange and co-creation with scholars from various disciplines, science traditions, and countries. Planning in advance and involving all Working Groups is crucial for incorporating diverse methods of knowledge sharing and fostering meaningful interaction to drive innovation, dialogue, and the co-creation of knowledge. In line with the principle Nothing About Us Without Us proclaimed in the 2025 ASSW Indigenous participants' statement, the Indigenous Pavilion will be a place for discussions among Indigenous and Western-trained scholars guided by local Ainu knowledge holders.
This event will bring together Indigenous and other Arctic residents, along with their partners from social and natural sciences, engineering, art, and practice.
Creation of the ASSW 2027 Indigenous Pavilion will pursue the following objectives:
- serve as a venue to gather together, exchange knowledge, and develop an agenda for future knowledge sharing.
- cultivate sharing environments where Indigenous voices can guide and lead scholarly conversations;
- provide an opportunity for academia to exchange knowledge and learn about Indigenous cultures and worldviews, crucial for understanding Arctic processes.
Date and Location
11 – 20 April 2027, Hakodate, Japan at ASSW 2027
IASC Working Groups funding the project
- Atmosphere WG
- Cryosphere WG
- Marine WG
- Social & Human WG
- Terrestrial WG
Project Lead
Vera Kuklina (The George Washington University, USA)
Year funded by IASC
2026