Arctic Indigenous Exchange Program

Application deadline is August 1st, 2026 @ 8pm EDT.

About AIEP

The Arctic Indigenous Exchange Program (AIEP) brings together groups of 12-15 Indigenous community members, leaders, and professionals, for exchanges across Canada, Greenland, and the United States (Alaska). The U.S. Department of State is the program sponsor. The goal is to explore areas of regional cooperation across the Arctic. AIEP aims to strengthen people-to-people relationships, advance cooperation, and foster greater cultural and commercial ties among Arctic Indigenous populations across a range of priority areas.

Upcoming Exchange

The upcoming AIEP exchange, the second individual exchange of five, will take place September to November 2026 with participants from Canada, Greenland, and the United States (Alaska). The 3-month exchange will include monthly virtual seminars with knowledge holders and a community-based workshop in Canada in early November, 2026. These exchanges seek to foster greater ties between Arctic Indigenous business communities in Canada, Greenland, and the United States (Alaska) through discussions, projects, and education on the many economic opportunities related to the harvest economy and other themes. Below is a timeline of upcoming exchanges.

GREENLAND May-August, 2026: Exchange In Progress

* CANADA September-November, 2026: Applications Open *

ALASKA January-March, 2027: Applications Open November 2026

GREENLAND March-May, 2027: Applications Open January 2027

ALASKA June-August, 2027: Applications Open March 2027

What You Will Gain

Access rich opportunities for knowledge-sharing and mutual learning
Share approaches to address common regional challenges
Foster lasting partnerships among emerging and mid-career Indigenous leaders from Canada, Greenland and the United States (Alaska)
Gather in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada, November 7-14th, 2026 including travel days (all travel paid for)

What To Expect

AIEP Canada 2026 is a 3-month program running from September to November 2026.

Our theme is the Harvest Economy. Harvesting is rooted in food gathering, land stewardship, and cultural practice, and remains a core economic and cultural foundation for Indigenous peoples across Canada, Greenland and the United States (Alaska). Harvesting represents a shared opportunity to build resilience and support new avenues for economic growth.

We will explore how the Harvest Economy relates to economic development and community resilience. Sub-themes include food security, stable tourism, commercial harvesting, relevant policy frameworks, and cultural significance.

Your Time Investment

VIRTUAL SEMINARS

We will gather for 1.5 – 2 hours on September 8th, October 6th, November 3rd at 10am AKDT (Alaska Daylight Time), 2pm EDT (Eastern Daylight Time), 5pm Nuuk Time. Seminars may include roundtable discussions with business leaders on Indigenous–led tourism ideas with representatives from each country, and Indigenous cultural exchange tourism opportunities including storytelling.

WORKSHOP LOCATION & TIMING

Our community-based workshop takes place in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada from November 7th-14th, 2026, including travel days. The workshop will be 5 days, you can plan for some extra days including travel to and from your country.

Workshop activities may include tours with Indigenous tourism operators on how to build successful tourism businesses. Community members and artists may share strategies for building cultural and commercial ties across the Arctic by blending subsistence with market activities.

Eligibility Requirements

Leaders in AIEP will meet the following criteria:

Be 30+ years old
Willing and eligible to travel internationally
Access to reliable internet (Wi-Fi) to participate in courses and access learning materials
Commitment to the dates of the exchange and meetings
Arctic or sub-arctic Indigenous and from Canada, Alaska, or Greenland

Expectations

Please agree to the following responsibilities and activities:

Attendance at monthly seminars and participation over the 4-month period
Open and eager to learn and share
Respect for differing views and practices
Be able to travel for related events (travel costs will be paid for)

AIEP application

Personal Information

Your Full Name(Required)

First Last

What is your preferred name, if different?

First Last

Date of Birth(Required)

Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Phone(Required)

Where are you currently living?(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

What is your home community?(Required)

What is your nationality?(Required)

If you have a dual citizenship, please check the boxes for all that apply.

Canada

Greenland

United States (Alaska resident)

How do you culturally identify yourself in Alaska?

If Other, please specify:

How do you culturally identify yourself in Canada?

If Other, please specify:

How do you culturally identify yourself in Greenland?

If Other, please specify:

If you are studying or are in the workflorce, please tell us where you are studying or working.

Are you currently participating in (or have plans to participate in) other exchange programs or other projects? If so, please list the programs/projects that you are involved in.

Application Questions

Please provide a brief response to each question in a short paragraph (1-2 sentences).

What are your interests in helping your community?(Required)

Why are you interested in AIEP? What motivates you?(Required)

What do you hope to gain from this program?(Required)

In your opinion, why is harvesting and the harvesting economy so important to northern and Indigenous communities?(Required)

An AIEP objective is to promote mutual understanding and lasting partnerships between emerging and mid-level Arctic Indigenous leaders from Canada, Greenland, and the United States. How do you envision promoting mutual understanding and lasting partnerships for this program?(Required)

How do you manage dealing with opinions and beliefs that differ from your own?(Required)

Tell us about a skill or some strengths of yours that you think would contribute to the program and please provide an example(s).(Required)

Media Uploads

Upload your Resume(Required)

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, Max. file size: 100 MB.

Upload an Audio or Video File

In this section, you are welcome to upload a media file of yourself either responding to the questions or briefly introducing yourself. We also ask that you provide a résumé. Preferred formats:

Accepted file types: mp4, mov, orm4a, Max. file size: 100 MB.

References

Please provide two references and their contact information. This can be a colleague, former or current employer, etc..

Reference #1 Full Name

First Last

Reference #1 Phone(Required)

Reference #1 Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Reference #2 Full Name

First Last

Reference #2 Phone(Required)

Reference #2 Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Passport information

All participants for our 2026 exchange will require a passport.

Please note it is your responsibility to apply for and pay for your passport and at least six months of validity is needed beyond your travel dates, meaning your passport cannot expire less than six months from your travel.(Required)

Please select...

I have a passport that is valid six months beyond all travel dates

I will renew my passport by July 2026

I do not have a passport but will apply for one by July 2026

I am already in the process of applying for or renewing my passport

Visas

You don't need a visa to Canada if you have an US or Greenland passport.

Health Statement

Participants must be capable of moderate physical activity, such as walking over uneven terrain or sand. We are traveling during the winter and conditions may be cold or wet and participants will be expected to participate in daily activities despite weather conditions.(Required)

I attest that I am in good health and capable of performing normal activities on this program. I further attest that I am capable of caring for myself during the program. I understand that this program may take me far from the nearest medical facility and that all participants must be self-sufficient. With that understanding, I certify that I have not been recently treated for, nor am I aware of any physical condition or disability that would create a hazard to myself or other members of the program.

Thank you for applying to AIEP. We will notify you about your application by the end of April. If you have any questions, please reach out to AIEP@institutenorth.org

This is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by The Institute of the North.

Arctic Indigenous Exchange Program

About AIEP

Upcoming Exchange

What You Will Gain

What To Expect

Your Time Investment

Eligibility Requirements

Expectations

AIEP application

Personal Information

Application Questions

Media Uploads

References

Passport information

Visas

Health Statement

About

Program Areas

Projects

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