On November 7, ARC-HU and Institute of Low Temperature Science (ILTS) held an event featuring music, adventure and science on Greenland, as part of Sustainability Weeks 2016.
After an opening and introductory remark by Dr. Sugiyama (ILTS), several presentations on Greenland were given from various perspectives. As a natural scientist, Dr. Matoba (ILTS) gave a talk about how the changes in ice mass in Greenland influence the planet’s environment. Mr. Tachimoto and Mr. Nara, adventurers who went to Greenland twice, reported about how they lived and traveled in Greenland and how the environmental change has been progressing in a decade, showing dynamic video footages and pictures of Greenland. Dr. Takahashi (Slavic-Eurasian Research Center) gave a presentation from the viewpoint of political science on how the political and social situation in Greenland has changed in relation to the mainland Denmark. In the latter half, two members from Nanook, the most popular and famous musician in Greenland, gave a short concert and participated in the pannel discussion with all the presenters, as a opinion leader of Greenland.
The event was open to public and was attended by nearly 100 people, serving as a good oportunity for those people to get an insight about what is going on in Greenland. The event even attracted an interest of mass media and was featured on local TV news by Hokkaido Television Broadcasting (HTB).