“Some will see us as being very remote, but I think we have to change that picture.” Inuuteq Holm Olsen, Greenland’s first diplomatic representative to the U.S., describes the transformations under way in his homeland, progress toward greater autonomy, Greenland’s strategic location, and a groundbreaking partnership with the Wilson Center.
The “Greenland Dialogues” is a series of planning meetings, workshops, and public programs convened by the Wilson Center’s Polar Initiative focusing on the future of Greenland. After the inaugural public meeting in the series, we spoke with Inuuteq Holm Olsen, Greenland’s first diplomatic representative to the U.S., about his nation’s possible pathways to full independence as well as its attempts to create economic growth and its important geographic and political position in global affairs.
Since its inception in 2017, the Polar Institute has become a premier forum for discussion and policy analysis of Arctic and Antarctic issues, and is known in Washington, DC and elsewhere as the Arctic Public Square. The Institute holistically studies the central policy issues facing these regions—with an emphasis on Arctic governance, climate change, economic development, scientific research, security, and Indigenous communities—and communicates trusted analysis to policymakers and other stakeholders. Read more
