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The Arctic and Antarctic regions continue to undergo dramatic change with global political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, environmental, and security implications. 

The Wilson Center's Polar Institute hosted its second edition of the Polar Week, from July 27 to 31, 2020, to explore, analyze, discuss, and inform many of these important issues and dynamics. Through several public events, the July 2020 Polar Week addressed: maritime activity in the Bering Strait; Canada's Arctic and Northern Policy Framework; the European Union’s Arctic strategy; the complex relationship in the Arctic between the United States and Russia; Marine Protected Areas in the Southern Ocean, and; the launch of the inaugural edition of the Wilson Center's Polar Perspectives publication series.

This edition of Week of the Arctic was held in partnership with the Embassy of Canada, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs CanadaWorld Wildlife Fund, the Arctic Economic Council, the Institute of Arctic Studies at Dartmouth College, UArctic Institute for Arctic Policy, Pew Charitable Trusts, and US Arctic Research Commission, and with support from the Wilson Center's Kennan Institute, Environmental Change & Security Program, Canada Institute, and China Environment Forum.

The Wilson Center's Polar Institute appreciates the critical support provided by A2A Railway and Olgoonik Corporation for making possible programs like these throughout the year.

The agenda below briefly describes each event; please visit individual webpages to access the webcasts and more specific information. Sign up to receive updates from the Wilson Center's Polar Institute, and follow us on Twitter!

Agenda

  • Monday, July 27

    • Event: Expansion of Maritime Activity in the Bering Strait Region: Mitigating Existing and Future Risks

      • 11am to 12:30pm EDT via Webcast
      • Mark Everett, U.S. Coast Guard District 17 Incident Management & Preparedness Advisor, Co-Chair of the Joint Planning Group for Russia-U.S. Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan
      • Dr. Natalia Kutaeva, Counsellor to the Director of Marine Rescue Service, Co-Chair of the Joint Planning Group for Russia-U.S. Joint Marine Pollution Contingency Plan
      • Ed Page, Executive Director, Marine Exchange Alaska
      • Yaari Walker, Indigenous Consultant for Alaska Pacific University
      • Margaret Williams, Director, WWF US Arctic Program
      • Moderator: Ambassador David Balton, Senior Fellow, Polar Institute, Wilson Center; Ambassador (ret.) for Oceans and Fisheries, U.S. Department of State
  • Tuesday, July 28
  • Wednesday, July 29
    • Event: Canada's Arctic and Northern Policy Framework

      • 2pm to 3:30pm EDT via Webcast
      • Ambassador David Sproule, Senior Arctic Official, Canada; Director General, Arctic, Eurasian, and European Affairs, Global Affairs Canada
      • Krista Henriksen, Acting Director General, Northern Strategic Policy Branch, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
      • Ambassador David Balton, Senior Fellow, Polar Institute, Wilson Center; Ambassador (ret.) for Oceans and Fisheries, U.S. Department of State
      • Christopher Sands, Director, Canada Institute, Wilson Center
      • Moderator: Dr. Mike Sfraga, Director, Polar Institute, Wilson Center; Director, Global Risk & Resilience Program, Wilson Center
  • Thursday, July 30
    • Event: The European Union and the Arctic

      • 11:30am to 1:00pm EDT via Webcast
      • Ambassador Michael Mann, Ambassador at Large for the Arctic, European Union
      • Terkel Petersen, Senior Adviser, Arctic Matters, European External Action Service
      • Moderator: Dr. Mike Sfraga, Director, Polar Institute, Wilson Center; Director, Global Risk & Resilience Program, Wilson Center
  • Friday, July 31
    • Event: Realism in the Arctic

      • 1pm to 2pm EDT via Webcast
      • James DeHart, U.S. Coordinator for the Arctic Region, U.S. Department of State
      • Ambassador Kenneth Yalowitz, Global Fellow Polar Institute & Kennan Institute, Wilson Center; U.S. Ambassador (ret.) to Belarus & Georgia
      • Dr. Ross A. Virginia, Global Fellow, Polar Institute, Wilson Center; Director, Institute for Arctic Studies, Dartmouth College
      • Matthew Rojansky, JD, Director, Kennan Institute, Wilson Center
      • Moderator: Dr. Mike Sfraga, Director, Polar Institute, Wilson Center; Director, Global Risk & Resilience Program, Wilson Center