Aluki Kotierk elected chair of Inuit Circumpolar Council

Aluki Kotierk, former Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. president, was acclaimed as chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) on 25 July 2026, with no other candidates nominated. Her term runs from 2026 to 2030, succeeding outgoing chair Sara Olsvig of Greenland. Kotierk also chairs the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and said, “I am hopeful that Greenlanders, Canadians, Alaskans and all Inuit can collaborate.”

The ICC’s 15th assembly was held in Iqaluit from 22‑25 July, its first in‑person meeting since 2018. Delegates from Chukotka (Russia), Alaska (US), Inuvialuit, Nunavut, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut (Canada) and Greenland adopted a declaration urging governments to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, resist land seizures, maintain Arctic peace, combat Inuit identity fraud, remove travel barriers across Inuit regions, repatriate artifacts and address climate change. Cultural performances accompanied the meetings.