This yearSA国际影视传媒檚 Arctic Inspiration Prize (AIP) finalists have been announced, with 12 of the 15 projects involving the NWT and Nunavut.

The contest, which is disbursing approximately $3.7 million, is the largest annual prize in Canada, that SA国际影视传媒渋nspires, enables and celebrates the achievements of the people of the North. The AIP recognizes diverse teams and enables their innovative projects in the fields of education, sustainable housing, health, performing arts, traditional knowledge, language, and science.

The $1 million category finalists from Nunavut and NWT include the following projects, communities, and organizations:

-Ajunngittutit (Nunavut)

Piruqatigiit Resource Centre and Wenson Support Services (WSS) have partnered to create a holistic, Inuit-led alternative educational program for Nunavut children and youth who have left formal schooling, or are failing to thrive within mainstream education. The program is designed to be an act of reconciliation in efforts to decolonize neurodiversity within learning/teaching paradigms.

-Northern Territories Youth and Communities Strategy (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)

This project will be the foundation of an attempt at SA国际影视传媒渓arge-scale system and policy change to improve outcomes, better align resources and strategies across governments, and empower youth and their communities to lead change efforts.SA国际影视传媒� This territorial project taking place across all three of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 Northern territories is designed to incorporate traditional knowledge, collective experiences and understandings, local assets, and use already existing efforts to create a youth and community centred strategy so that northern Canadian youth retain a sense of belonging, self, and confidence to make healthy life and learning choices for themselves.

-Elevate the Inuit-led Screen-Based Industry Across Inuit Nunaat (Nunavut)

This projectSA国际影视传媒檚 goal is to aggressively improve the skill level and experience of local film casts, crew, and future producers across Inuit Nunaat in order SA国际影视传媒渢o take the global stage by storm.SA国际影视传媒� It aims to establish a more solid foundation for a Northern-based film industry that prioritizes ownership of Inuit stories, channeling artistic expression, and has the potential to shape the thoughts and ideas of both northern and southern audiences. These film industry programs will provide training and exposure to a diverse set of media-related jobs, while supporting and inspiring future Inuit-led productions.

AIP Category Finalists (up to $500,000)

-Shifting Ice Realized (Yukon, NWT, ISR, Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut)

The Yukon Literacy Coalition has partnered with Ilitaqsiniq and the NWT Literacy Council in proposing to create resources and an active and supportive information-sharing network across the northern regions.

All three literacy councils have created an intentional learner-centred, non-formal approach to education programs after consulting with Elders and other content specialists.

Through this approach, they have arrived at an understanding that there are many northern non-formal educators from all walks of life who are currently successfully teaching and sharing knowledge in their communities. The program combines language, traditional and non-traditional best practices and endeavours to change the face of Northern learning approaches.

-Learning, Harvesting, Earning (Nunavut)

Food security is an increasingly pressing issue in Nunavut. This projectSA国际影视传媒檚 goal is to make lasting impact through a two-pronged approach. SA国际影视传媒淭he heart of the initiative lies in teaching boys and young men the traditional skills of fishing for Arctic char in both winter and summer seasons. The goal is to equip the young participants with the expertise needed for sustainable fishing practices. This innovative approach not only addresses food insecurity; it also creates economic sustainability for the project. By bridging the gap in traditional skills among indigenous boys and young men, this project seeks to empower them with meaningful employment opportunities and a chance to contribute to their communities.SA国际影视传媒�

-Indigenizing Work with Traditional Knowledge and Support Project (NWT)

Indigenous and woman-led social enterprise Aurora Heat is based out of Fort Smith. The project is looking to address the multifaceted challenges faced by many employees at the company SA国际影视传媒� a sustainable business that produces and sells reusable products made from beaver fur.

The focus is on SA国际影视传媒渁ddressing the root causes of employment instability, food insecurity, and loss of Indigenous cultural connections.SA国际影视传媒� By doing so, Aurora Heat seeks to create an innovative and healing way to work on the companySA国际影视传媒檚 new real estate acquisition. By enhancing their already flexible and supportive workplace mentality, the companySA国际影视传媒檚 goal is to inspire self-reliance and foster positive mental and physical health for employees and their families.

Arctic Inspiration Youth Prize Finalists (up to $100,000)

-Investing in the Futures of Inuit Women (Nunavut)

This project, to be offered in the Nunavut communities, seeks to provide young Inuit mothers and women with employment and skill building opportunities with two programs, creating a pathway for greater financial independence. The skills these women will learn is designed to provide the necessary tools to increase their future income earning potential, in addition to increasing their confidence.

The training program will provide part-time employment at One Plane Away, while the program participants develop new skills to work in the not-for-profit sector. With this subsequent experience, they will be able to see first-hand how their own efforts can help support Nunavut mothers and babies.

-Youth Coalition 4 Food Security North (Yukon, NWT, ISR, Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut)

This project is designed to support, engage and connect youth in food initiatives in their regions across Northern Canada. The ultimate goal is to foster youth engagement with local food production, and empower them to share this knowledge and experience with others. The hope is that the youth will go on to continue to advocate for sustainable, culturally appropriate, resilient food production models in the North. SA国际影视传媒淭his project will create a network of resources by youth, for youth, to support engagement in food dialogues and initiatives in the North.SA国际影视传媒�

-L.O.V.E. Inuktut (ISR, Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut)

L.O.V.E. Inuktut is a ground-breaking initiative dedicated to revitalizing and preserving InuktutSA国际影视传媒檚 11 main dialects (as determined by the expertise of Inuktut Tusaalanga) across CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 Arctic through the creation of beginner-level immersion-style videos.

SA国际影视传媒淭his project will work on an innovative app that integrates these language-learning videos into daily life. The key differentiator of this project lies in its emphasis on youth-driven initiatives, fostering intergeneratiional knowledge exchange and preserving Inuit wisdom. Positioned as a complementary addition to existing resources, the app will link to various Inuktut resources, ensuring a comprehensive learning journey and contributing to the sustained growth of Inuktut language and culture for years to come.SA国际影视传媒�

Each year, the AIP awards one $1 million prize, up to four prizes of up to $500,000 each, and up to seven youth prizes of up to $100,000 each. The AIP is owned and governed by the northern-led AIP Charitable Trust and is a community of Indigenous organizations, governments, industry, philanthropy and many other partners from the North and south.SA国际影视传媒�

The finalists were chosen by three regional selection committees, representing the diverse sections of CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 North (Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Inuit Nunangat), who selected projects from their own regions.

The 12th Annual Arctic Inspiration Prize awards ceremony will be held in Whitehorse on May 7.