The Royal Saskatchewan Museum, in collaboration with Students on Ice (SOI) and the Alliance of Natural History Museums of Canada were thrilled to offer an opportunity to secondary-school students to participate in a Youth Forum in recognition of the International Polar Year (IPY). The series kicked off on April 1 and 2, 2008 at the Canadian Museum of Nature and this exciting educational opportunity took place at 15 venues in 2008, from coast to coast to coast.

In recognition of International Polar Year, prominent scientists, adventurers, filmmakers and leaders on Arctic issues gave free public lectures that were held at 15 venues across Canada in 2008. Topics ranged from environmental impacts in the Arctic to the latest polar research discoveries.

The speaker series helped raise awareness about the Canadian Arctic, its peoples and northern issues. It increased understanding of climate change, its impact on the polar regions and on the entire planet, as well as the mitigation and adaptation measures that are possible.

The Polar Persepectives evening was held on the evening of Thursday November 6, 2008, and the speakers were:

BJ Bodnar - Saskatchewan student and Students on Ice Scholarship recipient who has travelled to both the Canadian and Russian Arctic regions and will be joining the scientific expedition to the Antarctic in February 2009.

Geoff Green - Canadian adventurer, environmentalist and educator who for the past fifteen years has been leading expeditions and adventures from pole to pole. Notable organizations such as the Discovery Channel, World Wildlife Fund, National Audubon Society and the Smithsonian Institution enlist Geoff to lead their groups into the world’s most remote and exciting regions.

Elizabeth Peacock - Government of Nunavut, whose latest project was titled Polar Ecosystems in Transition: An Interdisciplinary Case Study of the Effects of Climate Change on Polar Bears.