Friday, April 30, 2004 - Acadia University Public Affairs Office

 Nunavut flag to fly over Acadia University May 5-7
5th Anniversary of Nunavut marked with International Symposium


Nunavut flag to fly over Acadia University May 5-7 5th Anniversary of Nunavut marked with International Symposium. The yellow, white and red colours of the Nunavut flag will be flying over the Acadia University campus May 5 – 7 to mark one of Canada’s most important political achievements in recent history.

Nunavut at Five: The Nunavut Policy Symposium hosted by Acadia University in celebration of the 5th anniversary of the creation of Canada’s newest territory and its government will provide an opportunity for Inuit policy makers and community leaders to reflect upon and share their perspectives on the first five years of the Nunavut government’s political achievements and challenges.

An Inuksuk, constructed with Annapolis Valley granite by the Honourable Peter Irniq, Commissioner of Nunavut will be unveiled on May 5th at 12:30 p.m. on the front lawn of University Hall. “ I would like to thank Commissioner Irniq for his kindness and inspiration through the gift of the Inuksuk,” said Dr. Gail Dinter-Gottlieb, President of Acadia.

The symposium begins May 5th at 9:00 a.m. with the lighting of the qulliq and a drum dance, followed by a panel discussion entitled “Nunavut, the First Five Years.” The schedule also features roundtables on the Nunavut public sector, policy, and the digital divide. These discussions will help develop an Inuit-driven policy dialogue and research network. Additional workshops will identify the Inuit-defined research agenda and

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will direct four to six policy seminars to be held in
the next year.

“A key objective of the symposium is to deepen our shared understanding of Inuit values, approaches and perspectives in the public sector and to generate the kind of policy-relevant research that our participants need in education, the environment, economic development, and employment,” said Dr. Cynthia Alexander event organizer and professor of Political Science.

With its quiet, rural setting and world-class technological “info-structure,” Acadia provides both a comfortable environment for the participants and the resources necessary to ensure that the policy dialogue is inclusive and national in its reach. Using video and teleconferencing, the workshop will be inclusive of Inuit community leaders and policy officials, Inuit youth and elders, and Nova Scotian cultural communities.