In this personal reflection, Rosie Benning, Director of Training and Education at Collège Nordique, shares her experience attending the UArctic Congress and Assembly 2026 in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.

Celebrating Language and Culture

One of the most memorable aspects of the Congress was the celebration of Faroese culture through music and the arts. Powerful performances by acclaimed Faroese artists Eivør and Hamradun captivated audiences and showcased the richness, resilience, and beauty of the Faroese language and culture.

Hearing artists proudly perform in their own language served as a powerful reminder of the vital role language plays in expressing identity, worldview, and belonging. It was inspiring to witness a community so deeply connected to its linguistic and cultural heritage.

Meaningful Connections and Conversations

One of the greatest strengths of UArctic gatherings is the opportunity to connect with people who are doing transformative work across the North.

I was especially grateful for the opportunity to meet and speak with Marja-Liisa Olthuis, co-author of Revitalising Indigenous Languages: How to Recreate a Lost Generation. Her work documents the successful revitalization of the Inari Sámi (Aanaar Sámi) language in Finland and offers valuable lessons for communities working to strengthen Indigenous languages. I look forward to applying many of the insights she shared to our language revitalization efforts in the Northwest Territories.

I also appreciated reconnecting with Daniel Chartier, professor at Université du Québec à Montréal and director of the International Laboratory for Research on Images of the North, Winter and the Arctic. Our conversations highlighted exciting possibilities for future collaboration, and I look forward to exploring opportunities to work together in the years ahead.

A Historic Milestone for Indigenous and Minority Languages in the North

The proposal seeks to create a structured platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, research, and capacity-building among institutions and communities working to strengthen Indigenous and minority languages across Northern and circumpolar regions.

The network will foster collaboration through activities such as hybrid circumpolar forums and webinars, joint educational programming, mentorship opportunities, best-practice exchanges, and collaborative research initiatives.

The approval represents a significant achievement for Collège Nordique and builds on the momentum generated through our recent International Forum on the Preservation and Promotion of Indigenous and Minority Languages held in Yellowknife earlier this year. The proposal recognizes the importance of creating spaces where Indigenous and minority language communities can learn from one another while respecting their distinct histories, governance systems, and realities.

Following the vote, several delegates approached us to express interest in participating in the network. Representatives from institutions including the University of Northern British Columbia, Umeå University in Sweden, and the Sámi University of Applied Sciences shared their enthusiasm for becoming involved and contributing to this growing international collaboration.

The response confirmed what many of us already felt throughout the week: there is a strong desire across the Circumpolar North to work together to preserve, revitalize, and promote Indigenous and minority languages.

Looking Ahead

As I returned home from Tórshavn, I felt energized by the ideas, relationships, and opportunities that emerged throughout the Congress and Assembly.

Equally meaningful was the opportunity to experience the event alongside Camilia Zoe-Chocolate, whose perspective as a Tłı̨chǫ educator enriched our discussions and deepened my understanding of many of the themes explored throughout the week. Together, we reflected on how lessons from Indigenous communities across the Circumpolar North might inform our work in the Northwest Territories while also sharing our own experiences and challenges in language revitalization.

The challenges facing Indigenous and minority languages are significant, but so too is the commitment of the people working to sustain them. Across the Arctic, communities, educators, researchers, and institutions are developing innovative approaches rooted in culture, land, language, and self-determination.

The UArctic Congress further emphasized that while our contexts may differ, many of our aspirations are shared. By learning from one another and building meaningful partnerships, we can strengthen language revitalization efforts across the North and create new opportunities for future generations.

I look forward to continuing these conversations, developing new collaborations, and seeing how our newly established UArctic Thematic Network can help connect and support Indigenous and minority language communities throughout the circumpolar world.

About the Author

Rosie Benning is Director of Training and Education at Collège Nordique. She holds a Master’s degree in Indigenous Language Revitalization and has more than fifteen years of experience in education, program development, and language revitalization. Throughout her career, she has worked alongside Northern communities, contributed to the development of educational resources, and supported the teaching of French, English, and Tłı̨chǫ. She views education as a tool for reconciliation and is committed to ensuring that learning remains accessible, engaging, and relevant to Northern communities while respecting their cultures, languages, and relationships.