ICE Forum (short for Inspiration. Communication. Efforts) of young leaders of the Arctic Council will be held in Salekhard (Russia) on 6-9 December 2021. It will bring together 100 activists, politicians, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and students from 8 countries — all members of the Arctic Council. During this time, participants will exchange their experience and discuss various projects - from volunteering to creative industries. Registration is now open until 22 October at the ICE Forum website.
In May, Russia took over the chairmanship of the Arctic Council (AC) for 2021–2023. This prompted the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs in Russia (Rosmolodezh) and the Government of Yamal to create an initiative for international youth cooperation "Russia - the Arctic Council" under the auspices of the regional department of youth policy and tourism. More than 20 international events are planned during this period, including the ICE Forum, which will be held for the first time.
The event aims at developing cooperation between youth leaders of the Arctic Council countries from Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Canada, Norway and the USA. The Forum is looking for young politicians, diplomats, leaders of public organisations, students, young scientists, volunteers, entrepreneurs and activists from the Arctic Council countries aged 18–35 who are engaged in the development of the Arctic Circle region. Applications are accepted until October 22nd.
During the forum, discussion and heuristic platforms will operate in several areas. For example, designers, architects and young creators are welcome to take part in the "Creative Industries Development" laboratory. Topic: creative spaces design, art residences, urbanism - experience in the development of northern cities.
"Volunteering" laboratory will provide volunteers from the Arctic countries with an opportunity to share their experience of overcoming the pandemic in different states, implementing systematic and private volunteering practices in the world, and developing environmental volunteering.
"Business Acceleration" laboratory focuses on the tourism sector with a strong emphasis on the fragility of the Arctic ecosystem and business as a pillar of sustainable development in the Arctic.
"Development of Youth Media: Life in the New Information Reality" platform is an outlet for media professionals, journalists, bloggers and content creators where they can discuss the informational positioning of the Arctic regions and media as an instrument of "soft power".
The solutions and ideas that participants will come up with during the forum will comprise a special roadmap of international youth cooperation. These can be international volunteer missions, urban and business projects, charity events, blogs and films about the inhabitants of the Arctic, etc.
The results of the implemented projects will be summed up at the next ICE Forum expected to take place in 2023.
The official mascots of the first ICE Arctic Council Young Leaders Forum are the white fox Arc and the black fox Tic.
The forum is organized by the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), the Government of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (District), the Okrug (District) Department of Youth Policy and Tourism, the Autonomous Okrug (District) Foreign Relations Department and the Project Office of the International Youth Cooperation "Russia - Arctic Council".