The City of Yellowknife says it will welcome the ambassadors of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden to the territorial capital for a one-day event next week.
The five Nordic ambassadors to Canada will take part in an invite-only half-day seminar titled Resilience in the Arctic at the city’s Explorer Hotel.
The event is “focused on strengthening social, economic, and security resilience across Arctic communities,” the city stated in a Thursday news release.
Matters of Arctic security are arguably a higher priority than ever before as US President Donald Trump continually threatens the national security of Greenland, while the Canadian government had already identified Russia and China as Arctic threats – and pledged renewed spending to bolster Arctic sovereignty.
“Resilience in the Arctic is shaped locally but influenced by global forces,” Mayor of Yellowknife Ben Hendriksen was quoted as saying.
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“Resilience is built through relationships, trust, and a willingness to prioritize understanding and collaboration over positioning.
“Creating space for thoughtful dialogue helps ensure northern realities are reflected in conversations that shape the Arctic’s future.”
Parts of the event will focus on social issues, trade and investment alongside security and sovereignty, City Hall said.
Indigenous leaders and municipal and territorial officials will take part, the city added, though a list of those attending was not made public.
