REYKJAVIK (Iceland), Oct 14 (NNN-Xinhua) — The Arctic Circle Assembly 2022 kicked off here Thursday with a record 2,000 participants from almost 70 countries and regions.
“This is a formidable demonstration of the desire from so many different quarters of the planet to come together … to seek solutions,” said Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, former Icelandic president and chairman of Arctic Circle, at the opening ceremony.
In her opening speech, Icelandic Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir called for cooperation on Arctic issues, which have a global impact on all human beings.
Chinese Ambassador to Iceland He Rulong attended the opening ceremony upon invitation. Gao Feng, special representative for Arctic Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of China, will participate in several discussions on China- and Asia-related topics.
Founded in 2013 by Grimsson, the Arctic Circle holds its assembly in Iceland every October. This year’s four-day event will have over 200 sessions with more than 600 speakers.
It is attended by heads of states and governments, ministers, members of parliaments, officials, experts, scientists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, indigenous representatives, environmentalists, students, activists and others from the growing international community of partners and participants interested in the future of the Arctic.
The Arctic community is coming together for the very first time since US President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation spoke at length about Arctic issues during the Geneva Summit in June. The new geopolitical conditions in the Arctic will figure prominently in the discussions during the three day Assembly.
The Opening Session concluded with addresses by video link by Minister Valery Falkov and Ambassador Nikolay Korchunov, who presented the priorites of the Russian Federation since it assumed the rotating chairmanship of the Arcitc Council in June 2021. — NNN-XINHUA
