Students on Ice is very excited to announce that we have had a very successful expedition launch. Today, Students on Ice said farewell to 130 high school and university students from around the world as they begun the 2019 Arctic Expedition.
This year the students and team have begun their expedition in Ottawa, Ontario and have boarded their first flight to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland where they will embark on a transformative two-week expedition to the Canadian High Arctic and Greenland.
This ship and land-based expedition will connect youth to the Arctic and to urgent issues including ocean conservation, climate change, and sustainable development. Throughout the next two weeks, the Arctic will act as a powerful classroom through which place-based learning, cross-cultural discussions and hands-on workshops will allow the students to connect to the land and their peers in incredibly profound ways.
With the Arctic being an essential part of our planet, it illuminates our history and is a cornerstone of our global ecosystem and our future. These meaningful connections will help shape, inspire and support each student during and after expedition.
“We are thrilled to give young participants the opportunity to understand firsthand the challenges the Arctic is facing today. To facilitate exchanges among Arctic youth; you have to look at and understand the Arctic through the eyes of the people who live there,” said Peteris Ustubs, European Union Ambassador to Canada.”
The journey will be filled with workshops, panel discussions, shore landings, wildlife sightings and more. The students will have the opportunity to learn through the lens of science, art, history, policy and culture, grounded in an understanding and appreciation for the people who call the Arctic home.
We are thrilled to share that the 2019 Arctic Expedition team is made up of 130 students from 18 different countries including Canada, U.S., Greenland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Russia, Peru, England, Ireland, Germany, Monaco, Switzerland, Seychelles, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and China (Hong Kong).
Of the 130 students on board this expedition over 50% are Indigenous. The Indigenous youth and educators from the circumpolar Arctic are an integral part of every Students on Ice expedition, helping us understand the places we visit.
Through the generosity of partner organizations, 90 per cent of the youth are fully supported to participate in this transformational, life-changing experience.
The 2019 Students on Ice Arctic Expedition is made possible through partnerships with the Canadian Museum of Nature; Parks Canada; Canada Goose; Nunavut Sivuniksavut; Makivik Corporation; Kativik Regional Government; Leacross Foundation; the Delegation of the European Union to Canada; the Assembly of First Nations NS and NL; the U.S. Embassy Ottawa; Adventure Canada; Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation; The Beatrice Snyder Foundation; Sony; Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, the Canada-UK Foundation, First Air, the official airline of Student on Ice, and more than 40 other generous supporters.
Throughout the journey, thousands of people around the world will follow and share in the expedition experience via SOI’s outreach and media strategy, including daily text, photo and video updates on SOI’s website and social media channels. To learn more and to follow the journey, visit studentsonice.com