Lisa Koperqualuk on fighting for an Arctic future

Explore: A Canadian Geographic podcast

“To protect the Arctic is to protect the rest of the world.”

So says Lisa Koperqualuk, Vice-President of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, in this fascinating episode about the challenges faced by Inuit communities in the Arctic today. Koperqualuk discusses the impacts of climate change in the Arctic, the need to regulate Arctic shipping, the importance of speaking Inuktitut, and her experiences growing up a small village in Nunavik, on the shores of Hudson’s Bay, as the granddaughter of legendary Inuit artist Lisa Koperqualuk. He was a major influence in her life and her career focused on preserving Inuit communities and culture. To this day, she carries his advice to her as she faces down a long list of challenges: "Assist others."