Circumpolar Musings: Celebrations

Plover brings tidings of spring [to Iceland]

Amanda Graham — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 17:22:03 GMT

(Iceland Review News, 21 March 2012) -- The plover in Hvalfjarðarsveit certainly brings tidings of spring if the weather forecast is anything to go by, predicting temperatures as high as 15°C (59 F°) in the northern and eastern parts of Iceland this weekend. "We can expect to see temperatures reach 8 to 10 °C in the south and western corner of the country, and 8 to 12 C° in northern and eastern parts of Iceland," Óli Þór Árnason, a meteorologist at the Icelandic Met Office told visir.is. Óli Þór predicts dry weather and bright skies in North and East Iceland, but informed residents in the south and west that they may have to settle for showers over the weekend. Temperatures will drop again on Monday but there is reason to be optimistic now that the plover has been sighted. The Golden Plover was spotted near Ytri Hólmur, a local farm in the area south of Akranes, and was photographed by a photographer for the local newspaper, Skessuhorn.

Russian Arctic to mark Cold Day

Amanda Graham — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:55:58 GMT

(TASS via Voice of Russia, 6 February 2012) -- The first nations of the Russian Arctic are to celebrate the first annual International Day of Cold on February 28 and 29. The events will be centred on the port city of Arkhangelsk on the coast of the White Sea. The organizers say they want to attract public attention to problems and opportunities in the Russian Arctic.

PM accused of breaking pledge of medal for war convoy sailors

Amanda Graham — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:58:15 GMT

(Ian Drury/Daily Mail, 14 November 2011) -- They risked their lives again and again on what Churchill described as ‘the worst journey in the world’. The heroes of the Arctic Convoys ran the gauntlet of German warplanes and U-boats to keep the Soviet Union supplied on the Eastern Front. Even Russia has awarded commemorative medals to acknowledge its gratitude to the surviving sailors, more than 3,000 of whose comrades were killed. Yet David Cameron has refused to do the same. Yesterday, as the nation paid tribute to its war dead on Remembrance Sunday, disgusted veterans expressed anger that the Prime Minister had seemingly reneged on a pledge to introduce a specific Arctic Medal. ‘We feel completely and utterly betrayed,’ said Commander Eddie Grenfell, 91, the leader of the Arctic Medal campaign. ‘How can Cameron stand up and support us in public but privately say we don’t deserve a medal? It’s two-faced and wrong.’ In opposition, the Tories pledged to introduce an Arctic Medal if they won power. And in January this year, Mr Cameron indicated his continued support by telling MPs that the sailors who served on the Arctic Convoys had ‘missed out’. ... Mr Cameron now says the sailors have already been recognised with a medal for the separate naval campaign in the Atlantic. He writes: ‘It is clear that the Atlantic Star Medal that was extended to those who served in the Arctic specified the convoys in its qualifying criteria. Those who took part in the Arctic Convoys have therefore been recognised and received this medal as a mark of the nation’s gratitude.’ Ministry of Defence bureaucrats have repeatedly used this excuse to deny Arctic veterans their own award. But campaigners argue that 95 per cent of the 66,500 men who served in the Arctic Convoys had already earned the Atlantic Star before being conscripted on to the dreaded ‘Russian Run’.

Jokkmokk celebrates world sausage record

Amanda Graham — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:40:20 GMT

(The Local, 27 August 2011) -- A record breaking sausage was the star of the show at the start of the annual autumn fair in Jokkmokk, northern Sweden, on Friday. The sausage, measuring over one hundred metres broke the previous world record, of 80 metres, also made for the same festival back in 1992. Jokkmokk has put itself on the map for its feat, during the annual fair which is now taking place for the 32nd time. Making the giant sausage was no mean feat according to those involved in its preparation. Apparently it took four people some 150 hours to put it together. Magnus Kvickström managing director of Jokkmokk’s Korv told reporters, "The only problem we had was that we had to make a special order for the sausage skin.” The sausage proved to be the star attraction at a show which has guaranteed itself publicity over the years and brought increasing tourism to the town which lies in the northernmost part of the country, some 170 kilometres north west of Luleå. The town is perhaps best known for being a central hub for Sweden’s Sami population. Each year, in celebration of its culture another annual market, which is held every February, is a longstanding tradition that goes back over 400 years.

Svalbard newspaper in Russian language

Amanda Graham — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 20:19:31 GMT

(Barents Observer, 12 August 2011) -- The world’s northernmost newspaper, Norwegian Svalbardposten will be translated into Russian for the first time this autumn. Svalbardposten and the Russian mining company Arktikugol have concluded an agreement to publish two editions of Svalbardposten in Russian. The first edition will be published on August 21, in connection with Arktikugol’s 80th anniversary. The initiative to the project was taken by the company’s General Director Alexander Veselov. "Svalbardposten in Russian is an attempt to fill an information gap and will give the Russian population a closer connection to the life on Svalbard," Veselov writes in an e-mail to Svalbardposten. Svalbardposten comes out in print once a week and is operated from Longyearbyen. In 2009 it had 2989 subscribers. The total population on Svalbard that year was 2753, of which 423 were Russian and Ukrainian.

Former president talks about preserving Arctic refuge

Amanda Graham — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:58:48 GMT

(West Virginia Public Radio - 19 January 2011) -- Yesterday afternoon attendees to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Services heard from former President Jimmy Carter about his efforts to expand the Arctic refuge and protect it from oil drilling. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was created in 1960 under Dwight D. Eisenhower’s administration. But it was President Jimmy Carter and his interior secretary Cecil Andrus who found a way to expand the refuge over the objections of former Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK). Carter said he and Andrus used the 1906 Antiquities Act to declare 17 parcels precious places they wanted to preserve. “And the cumulative size of them was 67 million acres, about the same size as the state of Minnesota to put it in perspective,” Carter said. Carter said Stevens, along with some oil and gas companies, argued to the U.S. Supreme Court that what the President did was unconstitutional. “To make a long story short the Supreme Court ruled in my favor,” Carter said. Carter’s decision to preserve so much land was not popular with many Alaskans. ... Carter has tried unsuccessfully to convince the democratic presidents who’ve served since he left office to do more to protect the refuge and he stands ready to fight any future efforts to drill for oil there.

Video: Hallelujah Chorus - Quinhagak, Alaska

Amanda Graham — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:42:50 GMT

(YouTube via Anchorage Daily News, 22 December 2010) -- The southwest Alaska village of Quinhagak wishes a whopping dose of holiday cheer with a music video to the "Hallelujah Chorus," posted courtesy of fifth-grade teacher Jim Barthelman.

(Kyle Hopkins/The Village blog at Anchorage Daily News, 21 December 2010) -- A Yup'ik village near the Bering Sea coast unleashed four irresistible minutes of holiday cheer on YouTube this week, starring a team of fifth-graders and the "Hallelujah Chorus" from Handel's Messiah. ... "We showed it to the community at our Christmas program for the school," said teacher Jim Barthelman, who shot and edited the clip over the weekend. "There was people laughing so hard you couldn't hear the music." Originally, Barthelman planned for his students to perform the song live in front of a crowd, using the homemade signs, in the style of various YouTube hits. The kids were too embarrassed, said Cheryl Karels, 11, one of the stars of the clip. "We just made a movie to not stand up in front of lots of people." The video snowballed Tuesday into a social media sensation among Alaskans, with copies peppering Facebook accounts like measles. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich tweeted about it. Fans from Washington, D.C., to Thailand praised it on YouTube. Barthelman and his students spent a total of 10 hours over Saturday and Sunday shooting roughly 100 scenes for the clip, as they roamed the village in the school's navy blue Chevy Suburban. The crew broke for tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, said Barthelman, who is in his third year teaching at Quinhagak. "I'd go, 'One, two, three, hallelujah!' and if (the kids) weren't all lined up and flipping the cards at the right time, I'd say, 'One, two, three' and we'd just do that over and over until we got a good take," Barthelman said. "Then we'd all jump back in the truck and warm up and go to the next spot." Cheryl said Barthelman prompted the kids to flash their signs by singing to them and added the music later. [Read more]

Finland celebrates Independence Day with traditions

Amanda Graham — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 07:56:37 GMT

(YLE, 5 December 2010) -- Monday, December 6th, Finland marks its 93rd Independence Day with traditional events. The day starts with a flag-raising ceremony at Helsinki's Observatory Hill. The day's programme also includes wreath-laying ceremonies at war memorials, a special service at the Lutheran Cathedral in Helsinki and a torchlight procession by university students. The high point of the celebrations is the President's Independence Day Ball. President Tarja Halonen and her husband Dr. Pentti Arajärvi have invited 1800 guests to the reception and ball at the Presidential Palace. Live broadcasts of the event begin on YLE TV1 at 6:50 PM. The broadcast is also available online at yle.fi/linnanjuhlat. As in recent past years, the Veikko and Lahja Hursti Charitable Trust headed by Heikki Hursti is holding an event for the poor marking Independence Day at Helsinki's Hakaniementori square. This year's Defence Forces Independence Day parade is being held in the city of Kuopio. In honour of the day, President Halonen has awarded 4200 decorations to citizens for various achievements. On Monday, shops, banks and post offices are all closed for the holiday. The same holds true for most public services. Public transport on Monday is operating on Sunday timetables. Because of the strike by Finnish cabin crew, the State Railways VR has scheduled an extra train departing Monday from Rovaniemi to Helsinki at 5:36 PM.

Barents Observer advent calendar quiz

Amanda Graham — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 19:07:53 GMT

(Barents Observer, 25 November 2010) -- Test your knowledge about the Barents Region. Every day during the Advent period, from December 1st until the 24th, we present five new questions about numerous topics related to the Barents Region. Every day we draw one winner who will be awarded a BarentsObserver memory stick, a Barents 2011-calendar, and a notepad. In the end, one out of the 24 winners will be awarded a BarentsObserver hooded sweat.

Federal apology came too late for Arctic exiles

Amanda Graham — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 05:51:55 GMT

(Gabrielle Zarate/Nunatsiaq News via Vancouver Sun, 11 September 2010) -- GRISE FIORD, Nunavut — Larry Audlaluk wasn’t even three years old when he first saw the narrow stretch of land below high, imposing cliffs — prone to rock slides — that would become home. “There were times when my mother used to be very sad,” Audlaluk said as he recalled the hazy memories of his early childhood in Grise Fiord, on the southern shore of Ellesmere Island. “It was difficult to remember her listening to all the promises that were broken.” The mood was sombre but hopeful on Sept. 10 in Canada’s most northerly community, today home to about 150 people, as representatives of Inuit organizations and the federal government unveiled the second of two monuments to the High Arctic Exiles, this one made by carver Looty Pijamini. Audlaluk has spent much of his adult life lobbying for national recognition of the High Arctic relocation, a quest that culminated in the establishment of permanent monuments in Grise Fiord and Resolute, also in Nunavut, and an official apology from the federal government in August. “I hope this will start a new era of life here,” he said. But the apology came too late for those who most needed to hear it: the original exiles, moved by the federal government from their homes far to the south in Inukjuak, Que., in the mid-1950s. “The people that we are thinking about right now are not with us, they are in the ground right now, resting,” said Grise Fiord’s mayor, Meeka Kiguktak, speaking in Inuktitut. “It would have been better if it had been done 10, 20 years ago,” she said in a later interview.

Clinton: Happy Independence Day, Iceland!

Amanda Graham — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 06:04:26 GMT

(Iceland Review, 17 June 2010) -- U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has wished the Icelandic people a happy Independence day, saying that the American people will celebrate with them today, honoring their shared history and friendship. Clinton also pointed out that Iceland and the United States both honor democracy and human rights, sharing strong economical, cultural and family bonds. According to her, the United States are proud to have been the first nation to recognize Iceland’s independence on June 17th 1944. Americans fondly remember Iceland’s hospitality through the years, she said, mentioning in particular leader summits and international conventions hosted by Iceland. She concluded by saying that currently, Iceland and the United States are working together worldwide towards peace, progress and prosperity. Now, with Iceland’s difficult economy, they can rest assured that they have the full support of the United States.

Russian Arctic Convoy veterans honoured

Amanda Graham — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 02:38:04 GMT

(BBC News, 22 April 2010) -- Thirty Russian Arctic Convoy veterans from Scotland will each be presented with a medal to mark the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Consul General of the Russian Federation Sergey Krutikov said it was a sign of appreciation for their heroic deeds during the tough years of war. The veterans, who transported vital supplies to Russia, will be honoured at a ceremony in Edinburgh. Winston Churchill described the convoys as the most dangerous of the war. Mr Krutikov said: "It is a great honour for me to carry out the wishes of the President of the Russian Federation and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces and present these medals to the British Russian Convoy veterans. "The Russians, like the British, have the same warm feelings for their veterans. Today we are honouring those who fought our common enemy and did everything possible to achieve our Great Victory." Chairman of the Russian Arctic Convoy Club Scotland, Jock Dempster, who is from Dunbar, completed a 1944 convoy aboard an oil tanker to Murmansk. He said: "This event marks a very special day for us. "The long-standing bond of friendship which existed between the Russian people and the veterans during the war has become even stronger since. "The medal is much appreciated for adding formal recognition of the critical role we played in shipping vital supplies to Murmansk and Archangel. "The Russians have never forgotten the ultimate sacrifice made by the 2,800 seamen who never returned to our shores." [See also Claire Smith, "Arctic convoy heroes honoured by Russia," The Scotsman (24 April 2010). Pictures from the medals ceremony here.]

Movie on Nenets nabs award

Amanda Graham — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 07:21:25 GMT

(Siku News, 12 April 2010) -- A Finnish movie by Anastasia Lapsui and Markku Lehmuskallio has won the Grand Prix at the Festival International de Films de Femmes in Créteil, France. The film, Last of the Line, tells the story of a young Nenets girl in the 1960's who must leave her home to go to a Russian-language school. The film explores the girl's life as she is stripped of her identity as a member of the Nenets community in a Soviet school. The story is based on the area where director Lapsui spent her childhood, on the Yamal peninsula. Last of the Line débuted at the Berlin Film Festival in February and was shown for the first time in Finland on February 26. This is the second time that Lapsui and Lehmuskallio won top prize in Créteil. They also took home the Grand Prix in 2000 for Seven Songs from the Tundra. The Festival International de Films de Femmes is a festival designed to showcase the work of women filmmakers.

Mackey wins record fourth straight Iditarod

Amanda Graham — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 23:24:08 GMT

NOME -- Pumping his fist as he approached the finish line, Lance Mackey won the Iditarod Trial Sled Dog Race on Tuesday afternoon, becoming the first musher to take four straight. Mackey, 39, and his team of 11 dogs passed under the burled arch at 2:59 p.m., becoming the second musher in race history to finish in less than 9 days -- by just 51 seconds. "I had seven dogs who would go to the end of the earth for me, and nine more who would try," Mackey said at the finish line. "I've got a lot of young superstars and a bright future with them. "I'll probably be back next year," he added. "I don't see why not. I'm a little beat up, though. I can only be so tough so long." The feat earned him a check for $50,400 and a new Dodge truck. Hans Gatt of Whitehorse finished second at 4:04 p.m., and Jeff King of Denali Park was headed for a third-place finish late this afternoon. Under a bluebird sky, Mackey's dogs trotted down Front Street while the big afternoon crowd surged forward, narrowing the slot of snow through which he could pass. "I drew the right (bib) number, 49, representing the whole state of Alaska and the people who believed in me," he said. "It was an amazing welcome as usual. People were cheering as if it was my first one." Two of Mackey's stalwart dogs, Rev, who's missing his left ear tip, and Maple, sat with Mackey under the burled arch, adorned with collars of yellow roses. Mackey draped his arms around them and planted a kiss on their fur. "They may not be the fastest team in this race," Mackey said. "But they've got the biggest hearts."

70th anniversary of the end of the Winter War

Amanda Graham — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:18:32 GMT

(YLE, 13 March 2010) -- Saturday saw observances around the country marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the 1939-1940 Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union. President Tarja Halonen opened a Winter War seminar at Helsinki's old Diet of Estates with an address in which she told her audience that the Finns should not forget what massive suffering the war meant for the nation. She noted that the shadow of the conflict also fell over many who did not take part in battle. She expressed a sense of satisfaction that those who were displaced as children during the war and war orphans have of late been able to more fully make their stories known. "In one way or another, war affects the identities of even those who have not directly experienced it. The message has been passed from one generation to the next," she said. The event in Helsinki was also addressed by Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen. Former President Mauno Koivisto was in attendance. During the afternoon, President Halonen hosted a reception at the Presidential Palace, for Finnish war veterans, as well as Swedish and Estonian volunteers who fought on Finland's side in the 1939-1940 conflict. The Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union began on the 30th of November 1939 and ended with the signing of a peace treaty on March 13th, 1940.

Svalbard Treaty is 90 years old

Amanda Graham — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 06:42:37 GMT

(Birger Amundsen/Svalbardposten, 9 February 2010) -- Today, 90 years ago the Svalbard Treaty was signed in Paris. ... Svalbard Treaty was signed on 14 February 1920 and came into force, was ratified, 14 August 1925.

Samis celebrate National Day

Amanda Graham — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 05:53:56 GMT

(Sveriges Radio International, 6 February 2010) -- The indigenous people of northern Scandinavia, the Sami, are celebrating their National Day today with events staged around Sweden and neighbouring countries. The Sami, or Lapp, are the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia, and today they number around 85,000. Twenty thousand live in Sweden, perhaps twice as many in Norway, and smaller numbers in northern Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. The Sami are regarded as the oldest peoples of Europe. Many of Sweden's Sami now live in Stockholm, and one of the country's major celebrations of the Sami national day is at Skansen, Stockholm's outdoor cultural museum. After centuries of exploitation at the hands of their Scandinavian neighbours, today the Sami face far fewer problems than many indigenous peoples in other parts of the world. However they do still have problems including a fight for land rights - Unlike Norway and Finland, Sweden still refuses to sign the UN Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples - fearing that the non-Sami residents of northern Sweden would lose their land rights. Sami Day falls on February sixth because this date was when the first Sami congress was held in Norway in 1917 with Norwegian and Swedish Sami coming together for the first time to try and solve their problems collectively. The first time Sami National Day was celebrated was in 1993. See also "YLE, "Saturday is Sámi People's Day," 5 February 2010.

Feb. 2 now 'Marmot Day' in Alaska

Amanda Graham — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:50:41 GMT

(Anchorage Daily News, 2 February 2010) -- JUNEAU - Alaska now has its own version of Groundhog Day. Then-Gov. Sarah Palin signed a bill last year to make every Feb. 2 Marmot Day in Alaska. The bill was introduced by state Sen. Linda Menard, R-Wasilla. Because groundhogs are not common in Alaska, Menard says it made sense for the marmot to become Alaska's version of Punxsutawney Phil, the Pennsylvania groundhog famed for his winter weather forecasts. Menard's bill didn't give marmots any weather forecasting duties, but she hopes the state will create educational activities around the animal.

When the sun returns, Igloolik comes alive

Amanda Graham — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:27:41 GMT

(Chris Windeyer/Nunatsiaq News, 25 January 2010) -- IGLOOLIK — On a quiet, cloudy Sunday morning, elder Tipporah Qaunaq sits inside an igloo, tending two qulliqs and a camp stove. Despite the boiling tea and the burning seal oil, the smell of naptha overpowers everything else. The temperature inside is comfortably above zero and the igloos walls have developed a slick, icy crust. Sunday is the quiet day on the schedule of the Festival of the Return of the Sun. Qaunaq oversees the igloo as grandson Elmo, 11, and friend James Evaluarjuk, 9, hang out with, and do a little interpreting for, a visitor. The igloo, on the edge of town near Igloolik’s signature inuksuit, serves as a sort of drop-in centre during the festival. ... When Inuit still lived in igloos, Qaunaq said, they were happy to see the end of the dark season. The festival is a way to keep that tradition alive, she said. For more than a month, the sun skirts just below the horizon here, offering a few hours of dim light. High Arctic residents might say that while it’s nothing compared to their endless months of darkness, it’s still a good reason to throw a party. To Leah Otak, who runs Igloolik’s oral history project, the return of the sun might be more significant than New Year’s. “When I compare these two, [the return of the sun] is a much more meaningful celebration,” she said.

Hunter rescued from ice floe in Northwest Passage

Amanda Graham — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:06:49 GMT

(Mark Iype and Allison Cross/National Post, 25 January 2010) -- A hunter who was stranded on an Arctic ice floe for nearly four days is finally safe after a military rescue team plucked him off the ice yesterday afternoon. A military rescue team had been trying for days to reach David Idlout, trapped since Friday on a floe in the Northwest Passage near one of Canada's most northern communities. The team had been repeatedly hindered by bad weather. They were finally able to reach Mr. Idlout with a military helicopter at about 3 p.m. local time, said Capt. Pierre Bolduc, from the search-and-rescue co-ordination centre in Trenton, Ont. "He was cold, tired but otherwise in good health," said Capt. Bolduc, adding that Mr. Idlout didn't need any medical treatment. Mr. Idlout was flown to the airport in his nearby hometown of Resolute, Nunavut, and his family was there to greet him, Capt. Bolduc said.

Underground diamond mine at Aikhal commissioned

Amanda Graham — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:04:17 GMT

(Jewellery News, 21 December 2009) -- The Aikhal underground diamond mine, located in the Russian republic of Sakha (Yakutia) has been commissioned in the presence of Vyacheslav Shtyrov, president of Yakutia, Fyodor Andreyev, President of Russian diamond miner Alrosa, as well as employees of the diamond giant. The new mine forms part of the Aikhal Integrated Mining and Processing Complex (Aikhal GOK), which was established in 1986 originally with the purpose to operate the Sytykan open-pit mine and with a plan to increase the ore production in the future by commissioning the Jubilee open-pit mine. Until now, the Aikhal GOK has operated three open-pit mines: Sytykan, Aikhal and Jubilee, No. 8 Ore Treatment Plant, transportation department and auxiliary facilities to support the mining operations, as well as a number of social facilities. The new Aikhal underground mine has a life expectancy of 25 years, an is expected to produce 500,000 tons of diamond ore annually. The total investment since the beginning of development of the deposit by underground mining has been nearly 9 billion Russian rubles. The number of employees at the mine now stands at 380 people, which will increase to 600. The Aikhal diamond deposit was discovered on January 22, 1960. The Aikhal pipe is located in the northwestern part of Yakutia, about 450km to the north of the city of Mirny, within a permafrost zone. The deposit is located within the left-hand valley slope of the Sokhsolookh-Markhinsky Creek and is an explosion-type pipe extending in the northeastern direction.The Aikhal open-pit mine is located at a steep left-hand slope of the Sakhsolookh River and constitutes a typical mountain-slope pit. For more information on Alrosa visit: http://www.diamondne.ws/directory/alrosa-co-ltd/

Film festival brings Inuit perspective to climate conference

Amanda Graham — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:16:51 GMT

(CBC News, 9 December 2009) -- A festival of films documenting the impact of climate change by Indigenous filmmakers from around the world opened Wednesday in Copenhagen in conjunction with the United Nations climate conference currently underway. The UN-sponsored Indigenous Voices on Climate Change Film Festival will screen 22 short documentary films by filmmakers from Tajikistan, Panama and other areas affected by climate change. One of the filmmakers featured is Canadian Inuit filmmaker Zacharias Kunuk, who produced and directed the critically acclaimed films Ataranjuat and The Journals of Knud Rasmussen. He will screen a 15-minute portion of his new film, Inuit Knowledge and Climate Change, on Thursday. Kunuk worked with climate scientist Ian Mauro of the University of Victoria and Inuit elders to tell the story of climate change. One of the people Kunuk features in the film is Siila Watt-Cloutier, former international chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council from 2002 to 2006 and a leading activist on issues related to global climate change. "Climate change here in the Arctic is very rapid," Watt-Cloutier says in the film. "The effects and impacts of climate change challenge and threaten our very life and our ability to exist as an indigenous people."

Yasavey 20th anniversary

Amanda Graham — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:50:20 GMT

(Barents Indigenous People, 8 December 2009) -- Yasavey is the Public Association of Nenets people in Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and the indigenous NGO celebrates its 20th anniversary on December 12th 2009. Events are planned in Naryan-Mar for the entire weekend.

Finland marks 70th anniversary of the Winter War

Amanda Graham — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:14:16 GMT

(YLE, 29 November 2009) -- Monday marks the seventieth anniversary of the start of the Winter War. Memorial events are being staged in various parts of Finland. The Defence Forces, war veterans’ organisations, the City of Helsinki and many other bodies will participate in a remembrance service at the Mannerheim Square in the city centre. Later a wreath will be laid at the tomb of Marshall Gustav Mannerheim at the Hietaniemi Cemetery. The Soviet Union launched attacks against Finland on November 30, 1939 after claiming Finland had shelled a border village. It was not until after the fall of the Soviet Union that Russia admitted that the shelling came from Russian territory and was used as a pretext to attack Finland. Prior to hostilities, the then Soviet dictator Josef Stalin had demanded Finland surrender parts of Karelia in addition to some strategic locations along the Finnish south coast. The war claimed the lives of around 23,000 Finns. After the cessation of hostilities in March 1940, some 400,000 people were evacuated from areas captured by Soviet forces. However, Finland remained an independent nation. Indeed, a survey published last week showed a majority of Finns believe the Winter War saved the nation from tyranny.