Inuit leaders campaign for barrier-free travel across Arctic homelands

The Inuit Circumpolar Council has reaffirmed its campaign to establish barrier-free travel for Inuit across their traditional Arctic homelands. During a general assembly in Iqaluit, the organization declared its commitment to calling upon states to provide "free and unrestricted movement for all Inuit across our heart and homeland."

The movement seeks to address artificial boundaries created by governments across Inuit Nunangat, which encompasses regions in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Siberia. While unrestricted travel into Russia is considered unlikely in the near term, leaders expressed hope for easier movement between Alaska and Greenland.

Pita Aatami, president of Makivvik, noted that current border requirements often treat Inuit like criminals, citing personal experiences where returning to Canada required a passport despite the cultural unity of the people. Aatami suggested that an "Inuit card," similar to the Canadian status card for First Nations, could facilitate this movement. While the Canadian government has been engaged in discussions, leaders noted that the United States and Danish governments still need to participate in negotiations to realize this goal.