The Arctic – Shared Challenges, International Response

One week ago, I returned to my home in Jyvaskyla from the Arctic Circle. The experience was so profound, I have had difficulty putting into words what it meant to me. Those who know me well know that I am never at a loss for words, so that says a lot!

As a Fulbright teacher in Finland, I have many opportunities to learn about more than just Finnish education. This trip is one example of that. The entire Fulbright Finland community (teachers, Fulbright Fellows, and Fulbright Scholars) met in Oulu to attend the Fulbright Arctic Symposium on February 28. This event brought scholars from the 2018-19 cohort of the Fulbright Arctic Initiative to continue their work together and to share their research with us.

This “international collaboration to address shared challenges” highlighted how the environmental changes in the Arctic affect the communities there. To me, this was a new way to view the realities of climate change. I hear about the science and numbers documenting the changes, but I do not always consider the impact on the people living in the Arctic. During the symposium, I learned about the many issues facing the indigenous people, and how education and health services can support thriving communities.

Listening to the scholars from various Arctic countries present on their collaborative research and two areas of focus (Resilient or Thriving Communities and Sustainable Economies), a few things stood out to me. For one, how often do we look at maps of the Arctic that show the land above the Arctic Circle but not the communities? The communities are a large part of the story, and we cannot ignore the human dimension.

A useful analogy presented by a team of scholars from the US, Canada, Denmark, and Sweden is that the Arctic is like an iceberg. The obvious problems are visible, as the part of an iceberg jutting above the water, and these include high mortality rates, for example. However, the deeper side is below the surface, and includes such factors as health disparities, diversity, language, and family.  These scholars live and work in Arctic communities themselves, and they demonstrate commitment to supporting the people of these areas. Many times during the presentation, they referred to Article 23 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, which guarantees the right of indigenous people to engage and participate in issues that affect them.

I cannot help but connect these efforts to improve life for indigenous people to what I believe about education. We must listen to the people we are trying to help, and find ways to empower them and strengthen their means for self-determination. This includes young people as well as educators. Finland is teaching me that we cannot devalue the importance of community and collaboration. “Rhythm” is a valued concept here – one that I observe in classrooms, schools, and communities. As outsiders and observers, we must pay attention to the rhythm and respect it.

As I focus on how students engage in learning, I see the parallel in Arctic initiatives that seek to engage Arctic people. Through collaboration and listening without an external agenda, we can work together to create growth and help each other thrive. This is my take away from the Arctic Symposium. As always,  thank you Fulbright Finland for the opportunity to broaden my perspective on the world.