Inuit Day November 7th

November 7th marks International Inuit Day, which is a day to honour and celebrate Inuit people and their culture. This day was declared in 2006, when the General Assembly of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) selected November 7th to celebrate Inuit culture. This date was chosen after the birth date of their founder, Eben Hopson, who dedicated his life to advocating for Inuit rights and self-determination.

Today, many Inuit people are located in Arctic regions of Canada, Russia, Greenland and the United States. In Canada, this territory is called Inuit Nunangat, meaning “the place where Inuit live”, which comprises Inuvialuit, Nunavik, Nunatsiavut and Nunavut. On this day, we are celebrating the languages, cultures and identities of the 160,000 Inuit people across all Arctic regions, of which 65,000 of these Inuit people are living in Canada.

International Inuit Day invites us to take time to reflect and celebrate Inuit culture. It is a day to explore Inuit art, listen to Inuit stories, and strengthen understanding of Inuit histories and lived experiences to honour Inuit peoples and the richness of their culture.