Tim's Letter

Dear Staff of the Northern Forum,

In my short span of existence on this planet, there have been a few philosophical goals that stood out to me as thoroughly meriting pursuit. While some of these goals can be sought during day-to-day living, such as leading a mentally and physically healthy life, others can only be attained at certain unique times, for example, exploring new cultures and geographies or learning about both what separates and unites different peoples and groups, and working on improving our relationship with the planet in which we all reside. In a move of great generosity (that was perhaps also a wise investment) I was given a once-in-a-lifetime chance, by the Northern Forum, to expand my horizons and to an unprecedented levelwas able to reach towards those philosophical goals.

Due to economic constraints, my only previous travels outside the United States was to Mexico five years ago. I had never been to another region of the Arctic. For these reasons, attending the Forum in Akureyri, Iceland, provided a window to the rest of the world through which I had never been able to look. It is one thing to read or see images or video about a place, and it is quite another to travel there, talk with the residents, feel the ground, smell the air and to interact with a brand new and eye-opening environment. After immersing myself in the environment and culture of Iceland, I find myself an irreversibly better person with more perspective on the world and on my own part of it.

Two additional characteristics of the YEF made it an even more powerful and meaningful experience. Firstly was that not only did I experience the Icelandic culture, but from the non-Icelandic/Alaskan delegates, I learned about life in Hokkaido, St. Petersburg, Chukotka and many other Russian regions. And I did not simply learn about how we are all different, but also what similarities we share, both culturally and otherwise. Had it not been for the Youth Eco Forum, I would never have discovered that so many songs and games have traversed language barriers. I will never forget singing the “Wheels on the Bus” in three languages simultaneously.

What finally made the Youth Eco Forum such a tremendous experience for me was getting to deal with the topic of the forum, and seeing firsthand that we can solve it. In Iceland we saw a nation that runs almost entirely on environmentally friendly, sustainable, renewable energy that is still using only a fifth of said energy sources. We heard of potent and complicated problems involving global warming, yet were able to arrive at potential solutions. In our declaration we enunciated our thoughts and fact- based beliefs, and though it may not be a perfect document, it asks many of the right questions and provides many workable answers. It is a document that will be used to alert others and spread awareness on the consequences and solutions of and for climate change. I offer my deepest gratitude to the Northern Forum for getting to take part and help craft the declaration.

Going to Iceland with the Alaska delegation was for me, an unforgettable manifestation of many of my deepest philosophical desires. My attendance provided for me an experience that I would not have been able to obtain any other way. It is an experience that I will remember for the rest of my living days. For this, on behalf of myself and all the other delegates, I once again thank the Northern Forum, as well as all the other organizations, groups and individuals who made the Youth Eco Forum 2005 not just a possibility, but a reality.

Sincerely,

Tim Treuer

Anchorage, Alaska