🇬🇱 ICC Kalaallit Nunaat’s ICC term concludes with significant achievements

NUUK, Greenland (July 8, 2026) — In a few weeks, ICC Kalaallit Nunaat and Sara Olsvig’s four-year term chairing ICC will come to an end. The baton will be passed to ICC Canada at the Inuit organization’s General Assembly, to be held in Iqaluit, Nunavut, from July 22 to 25.

The Inuit Circumpolar Council’s (ICC) 15th General Assembly will be held July 22–25. At the General Assembly, ICC Kalaallit Nunaat will hand over the international leadership of ICC to ICC Canada. Outgoing ICC Chair Sara Olsvig submitted her Activities Report this week for approval by the General Assembly and reflects on the results and turbulence of the past four years:

“It feels good to bring the term to a successful conclusion. The Inuit Circumpolar Council has been influential internationally as a unifying voice during a time that can hardly be compared to any other. Inuit cooperation—with a focus on living conditions, the environment, self-determination in the Arctic, and not least on international cooperation—feels more important than ever. At the same time, we are handing over an organization that has been strengthened, stands united, and is well-equipped to meet the major challenges that still lie ahead.”

ICC Kalaallit Nunaat’s term chairing ICC began in the summer of 2022. That summer, the ICC General Assembly was held in a hybrid format for the first time in history as delegates from the four countries (Chukotka (Russia), Alaska (United States), Canada, and Kalaallit Nunaat) were unable to meet in person due to COVID-19. At the same time, Arctic cooperation entered its most challenging period to date.

“ICC plays an important role in Arctic cooperation. Inuit family, cultural, and linguistic ties are strong and transcend national borders. In these turbulent times, we have insisted on cooperation and mutual respect. When tensions have been high, our response has been that there is no such thing as a so-called ‘better colonizer.’ By this we mean that Inuit, no matter where they live, deserve respect for what we have built, and that states must not be allowed to divide us,” Olsvig said.

Delegates from all four member countries are expected to attend this year’s ICC General Assembly in person.

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Historical events and significant achievements

ICC’s 2022 General Assembly gave ICC leadership a clear mandate in a number of areas. In particular marine governance, Inuit rights, and climate change and the environment have been high on the agenda. At the same time, ICC Kalaallit Nunaat, holding the Chairship, organized a series of events, including the Delegates Meeting in Ilulissat in the summer of 2023, followed by the historic Arctic Peoples’ Conference.

“I am proud that we secured the new Permanent Consultative Status with the IMO. It required a team effort and the ability to navigate wisely during a difficult geopolitical period. This status in particular will ensure that Inuit have a say in the management of shipping in the Arctic in the coming years. We are closely connected to nature and the ocean around us, and we want cleaner shipping with fewer environmental impacts. At the same time, it is a core mission of ICC to ensure that decisions regarding the Arctic are made with us at the table,” Olsvig said.

“Similarly, I am proud of ICC’s efforts within the Arctic Council, which has faced its greatest challenge to date. Here, together with states and other Indigenous Peoples, we have been part of the collective effort to keep all eight states and six Permanent Participants at the table. Continuing our collaboration for a safe Arctic, where our knowledge and ambitions as Arctic Peoples are the foundation, is absolutely essential.”

In 2025, the ICC held its first summit for Inuit women where participants shared insights and experiences in addressing and combating important issues such as violence against women. Women from Alaska, Canada, and Kalaallit Nunaat gathered in Sisimiut for ICC’s first Inuit Women’s Summit, which was also attended online by women from Chukotka.

“The Inuit Women’s Summit remains a powerful memory for me. There, we gathered in a closed space and let knowledge and insights flow freely. We reaffirmed the strength that Inuit women embody for everyone—men and women, boys and girls—and discussed difficult topics that still need to be addressed in the years ahead. We strengthened our unity and mutual understanding of why it is important to continue fighting for women’s rights, and we emphasized the importance of working together and sharing knowledge across Inuit Nunaat,” Olsvig said.

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From a shared office to a full office

ICC Kalaallit Nunaat had very limited funds when it assumed the Chairship in 2022 and had to rent out parts of its office. The ICC branch only had one single employee. Through a clear strategic plan, ICC Chair Sara Olsvig and the ICC Kalaallit Nunaat Board of Directors built a solid financial foundation that will support the organization strongly into the next term.

“We have developed the ICC Kalaallit Nunaat secretariat to be a reliable and prominent resource for the entire ICC and for all of Kalaallit Nunaat. In the coming years, ICC Kalaallit Nunaat can continue its important work on Indigenous Peoples’ rights, responsible marine governance, increasing youth participation, contributing to the Arctic Council, focusing on climate and the environment, and much more. We have gone from a single employee to 10 positions, and the new leadership of ICC Kalaallit Nunaat has ample opportunity to make its mark over the next four years. I am therefore very confident about the future and am handing over the leadership with peace of mind,” Olsvig said.

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We thank our contributors

ICC Kalaallit Nunaat would like to thank all contributors who made it possible for ICC Kalaallit Nunaat to carry out a remarkable Chairship and program during the 2022-2026 term:

The Parliament of Greenland (Inatsisartut), the Danish Foreign Ministry, the Danish Parliament (Folketinget), Aage V. Jensen’s Foundation, Oceans North Kalaallit Nunaat, WWF Arctic Programme, WWF Canada, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Nordic Council of Ministers, Pauktuutit, Oceans North Canada, Ocean Conservancy, FIMI (International Indigenous Women´s Forum), Pawanka Fund.

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Contact

Tina Kûitse

Phone: +299 34 22 28

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About ICC

Founded in 1977, Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) is an international Indigenous Peoples’ Organization representing Inuit from Alaska, Canada, Kalaallit Nunaat, and Chukotka. ICC is dedicated to strengthening Inuit unity, advancing Inuit rights and interests internationally, and formulating long-term policies to protect the Arctic environment. It also strives for full and effective participation and meaningful engagement for Inuit in the political, economic, and social development of the Arctic.

ICC is a co-founder and a Permanent Participant of the Arctic Council and holds a range of international roles, including Consultative Status II at the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Observer status at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and holds Permanent Consultative Status at the International Maritime Organization, alongside other advisory and consultative roles across numerous international forums.

For more information, visit the Inuit Circumpolar Council website.

Originally published on July 8, 2026 by ICC Kalaallit Nunaat.