The annual Assembly is attended by heads of state and governments, ministers, members of parliaments, indigenous leadership and representatives, officials, experts, scientists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, environmentalists, students, activists and others from the growing international community of partners and participants interested in the Arctic.
Assemblies
The Arctic Circle Assembly is the largest annual international gathering on the Arctic, attended by more than 2000 participants from over 60 countries. The Assembly is held every October in Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Center and the Reykjavik EDITION, Iceland.
2024 Arctic Circle Assembly
The Arctic Circle Assembly took place on October 17-19, 2024, in Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre and the Reykjavik EDITION, Iceland. Over 2500 participants took part in the Assembly, the newly launched Arctic Circle Business Forum and Polar Dialogue.
Speakers included H.E. Liu Zhenmin, Special Envoy for Climate Change of the People's Republic of China; H.E. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO; H.E. Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland; Senator Lisa Murkowski of the United States; H.E. Vivian Motzfeldt, Minister for Statehood and Foreign Affairs of Greenland; H.E. Kadri Simson, European Commissioner for Energy; Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee; and more.
Future Arctic Circle Assemblies
The official program of the Assembly runs from Thursday - Saturday. Pre-Events usually take place on the Tuesday and Wednesday before and the Sunday is dedicated to the Assembly Tours and departures.
October 16-18, 2025
October 08-10, 2026
October 14-16, 2027
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Past Assemblies
Highlights, programs, photos, videos. Important moments of past Arctic Circle Assemblies
2023 Arctic Circle Assembly
The 2023 Arctic Circle Assembly took place on October 19-21, 2023, in Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre, Reykjavík, Iceland. Over 2000 people from more than 70 countries participated in roughly 200 sessions.
Speakers included H.E. Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark; H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, President-Designate of COP28; Senator Lisa Murkowski of the United States, H.E. Mariam Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates; Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee; and more.
2022 Arctic Circle Assembly
The 2022 Arctic Circle Assembly welcomed over 2000 participants who attended over 200 sessions, Receptions and other Networking Events. Speakers included H.E. Rt Hon. Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada; H.E. Alar Karis, President of the Republic of Estonia; H.R.H. Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway; H.E. Múte B. Egede, Prime Minister of Greenland; Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the Military Committee, NATO. The 2022 Assembly covered topics such as the future of Arctic security, peace and prosperity, new and updated Arctic strategies, and a rapidly melting region.
2021 Arctic Circle Assembly
The 2021 Arctic Circle Assembly was the first major in-person Arctic event since the Covid-19 pandemic. All participants were tested for Covid-19 twice, over the course of the Assembly. Not a single case was detected. Participants enjoyed over 100 Sessions, Receptions, film screenings, and made the most of various networking opportunities.
2019 Arctic Circle Assembly
With speakers such as Former U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, H.R.H. Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Dalee Sambo Dorough, Chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, H.E. Antti Rinne, Prime Minister of Finland and over 700 more, the 2019 Arctic Circle Assembly covered a vast range of topics and entertainment such as the Inuit Night and the Greenland Cultural Heritage Evening.
2018 Arctic Circle Assembly
Speakers included H.E. Taro Kono, Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs Karmenu Vella, Russian Senator Sergey Kislyak, Sir David King, the UK’s former Special Representative for Climate Change and many others. The 2018 Assembly covered topics such as Energy, Transportation, the Belt and Road Initiative, Scotland’s Arctic Strategy and many more.
2017 Arctic Circle Assembly
H.E. Gao Feng, China's Special Representative for Arctic Affairs, The Rt.Hon. Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, Honorable Bob McLeod, Premier of the North West Territories in Canada, Ms. Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and Mr. Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) were among speakers at the 2017 Arctic Circle Assembly.
2016 Arctic Circle Assembly
The first Arctic Circle Prize was awarded to Ban Ki-moon, General Secretary of the United Nations at the 2016 Assembly. Other highlights included speeches from the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon and the Honorable Philippe Couillard, Premier of Quebec.
2015 Arctic Circle Assembly
In a call for action H.E. François Hollande, President of France held a keynote address at the 2015 Assembly leading up to the historic Paris Agreement. President Hollande was joined by speakers such as Artur Chilingarov, Explorer and Special Envoy of the Russian President to the Arctic and H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.
2014 Arctic Circle Assembly
The second Arctic Circle Assembly continued the dialogue on the importance of the development of the Arctic with speakers such as H.E. Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland, Mr. José Ángel Gurría, OECD Secretary General and Admiral Robert J.Papp, U.S. Special Representative for the Arctic and many others.
2013 Arctic Circle Assembly
The inaugural Arctic Circle Assembly opened discussions on various topics such as Arctic Energy Cooperation, Shipping and the importance of participation from Arctic and non-Arctic states in the development of the region and welcomed leaders from many countries.
