Anchorage, Alaska
Sept. 18, 2024
Courtesy Story
Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies

Story by Amber Kurka

The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS), the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies (TSC), and the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) partnered to organize an Emerging Leaders Forum. This four-day workshop brought together a diverse group of emerging defense and national security leaders from the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions.

Alaska, serving as the U.S.’s gateway to the Arctic Circle, provided an immersive experience for the emerging leaders. The consequences of a rapidly changing Arctic were the starting point for the event, which took place from Sept. 9 to Sept. 12, 2024. The event aimed to explore the Arctic’s role as a vital link between the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions and explored the complexities of Arctic issues, including governance, policy, indigenous communities, and infrastructure resilience.

The U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David L. Cohen, met with the emerging leaders and emphasized the importance of addressing global challenges, particularly those affecting the Arctic, as these issues have the potential to drive significant change on a global scale. “Today, the Arctic is really the site of some of our most challenging geopolitical issues,” Cohen explained. “I think it’s incumbent on all of us to understand the consequences of this new landscape and to cooperate to navigate the shared challenges together.”

The Emerging Leader Forum served as a platform for emerging leaders from the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic region to come together, learn from each other, and inspire positive change in their respective fields. Through the collaborative efforts of DKI APCSS, TSC, and the Canadian DND, participants gained valuable knowledge, skills, and connections that will contribute to their professional growth and leadership development.