Circumpolar Reindeer Institute Offically Opened with Photos

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Written by Philip Burgess

Monday, 28 March 2011 17:34

The University of the Arctic Institute for Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry: UArctic EALAT Institute was officially opened on Thusrday, March 24th in the Sami reindeer herding village of Kautokeino.

Despite the unexpected appearance of a Polar Low, which shut down coastal airports and roads across northern Norway, which prevented the arrival and the delay of others, the opening was well attended and held at 'Diehtosiida', the Sami Univesrity College. The Institute was officially opened by the President of the Sami Parliament in Norway, Egil Olli alongside a number of visiting dignitaries including the Secretary of State for Sami Affairs, Raimo Valle, Dr. Robert Corell, the Chair of ACIA (and advisor to the Institute) and Douglas Nakashima of UNESCO, among others.The opening ceremony featured a lavvu on stage which was ceremoniously 'opened'and out of which came reindeer herding youth from Mongolia, the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Yamal Peninsula and Norway.

The EALAT Institute is a legacy of the International Polar Year and an outgrowth of the IPY EALAT research project and the Arctic Council SDWG EALAT Information project.

The event was preceded by the University of the Arctic Rectors Forum which was attended by 49 rectors of Arctic educational institutions around the circumpolar North, all of whom stayed on for the opening.

Most exciting for the launch of the Institute was the presence of over 20 indigenous students from across Eurasia including Nenets from the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Yamal nenets Autonomous Okrug, Eveny and Evenki from the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Dukha from Mongolia and of course Sami from Sweden and Norway and the presence of students from the UArctic Phd Thematic Network and also students from the UArctic Adaptation to Globalisation in the Arctic course created by the International Centre for Rindeer Husbandry.

Association of World Reindeer Herders Chair Mikahil Pogodaev addresses the audience

Following the opening, the first 'Arctic Laavu Dialogue'was initiated, convened by Dr. Robert Corell, and Gunn Britt Retter of the Saami Council and this was followed by an all day seminar for the students in which themes of traditional knowledge, ethics and the challenges facing reindeer husbandry.

Download a brochure about the newly established institute here in English and here in Russian.

Watch a webcast of the entire opening ceremony and UArctic Lavvu dialogue here. (Scroll forward to 1hr05)

See photos of the opening and the various activities of the week here.