The Arctic Indigenous Exchange Program (AIEP) brings together small cohorts of Indigenous community members and leaders from across the North to build relationships and explore shared economic and cultural ground. It is funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Institute of the North, an Anchorage-based non-profit. Each round pairs three online seminars with a week-long, in-person gathering in one of the participating regions.
The current round centers on the ‘Harvest Economy’ — food security, tourism, commercial harvesting, and the cultural significance of harvesting — and gathers in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada. The aim is to strengthen people-to-people ties and cooperation across the circumpolar Arctic.
Benefits & funding
- All travel costs for the in-person workshop are covered by the program.
- Participation in three facilitated virtual seminars and a five-day cross-cultural workshop.
- Peer network of Indigenous leaders across Canada, Alaska, and Greenland.
Eligibility
- Aged 30 or older.
- Arctic or sub-arctic Indigenous, and from Canada, Alaska, or Greenland.
- Willing and eligible to travel internationally, with a passport valid at least six months beyond the travel dates.
- Reliable internet access to join the online seminars.
- Able to commit to all exchange and meeting dates, and to moderate physical activity in winter conditions.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Eligible nationalities
Canada · USA · Greenland
Age requirement
≥ 30 yrs
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Application process
- 1Prepare a resume (PDF or DOC) and the contact details of two professional references.
- 2Complete the online application: personal and contact information, cultural-identity questions, and six short essay questions on community interests, motivations, and views on harvesting.
- 3Optionally record a short audio or video introduction.
- 4Complete the health attestation and submit before the deadline.
Program timeline
Application deadline (8pm EDT)
Aug 1, 2026
First virtual seminar (10am AKDT)
Sep 8, 2026
Second virtual seminar
Oct 6, 2026
Third virtual seminar
Nov 3, 2026
In-person workshop in Inuvik, Canada (travel days included)
Nov 7, 2026 to Nov 14, 2026