Inuit Youth Embrace Life on World Suicide Prevention Day

September 10,2010 — Ottawa, Ontario — Inuit leaders and members of the Inuit community in Ottawa will commemorate World Suicide Prevention Day with a special event on Parliament Hill this afternoon.
“Youth represent 50 per cent of the Inuit population, so we have an important role to play, not only at community events like World Suicide Prevention Day, but also in our families and communities,” said Jennifer Watkins, president of the National Inuit Youth Council.
“We may be young, but when addressing the issue of suicide, our time to act is now.”
Watkins, together with 2010 National Aboriginal Role Models Martin Lougheed and Heidi Langille, will lead the annual celebration of Inuit culture, whose theme this year is “Embrace Life.”
This is the fourth year in a row that Inuit in Ottawa have marked this day. This year’s event also happens to fall during 2010 Year of the Inuit, a national campaign aimed at raising awareness of Canada’s Inuit population and recognizing Inuit achievement.
Participants will tote posters designed by youth during a suicide prevention workshop in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, last month. The posters carry inspirational messages and represent the voices of thousands of Inuit youth unable to take part in the celebration in Ottawa and stand in solidarity with their peers.
The event is being organized by the National Inuit Youth Council (NIYC), Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK), the National Aboriginal Health Organization’s Inuit Tuttarvingat, Pauuktutit Inuit Women of Canada, the Honouring Life Network and the Inuit Circumpolar Council (Canada).
“While suicide is a concern for many populations, it is an especially pressing concern among Inuit in Canada,” said National Inuit Leader Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. “Our suicide rate is rate 11 times the national average. This is a national tragedy and requires political attention at the highest level and investments in education, housing, mental health services and mental wellness programs to bring Inuit regions to the level of service found in the rest of Canada.”
“Inuit have a long history of strength, resilience and survival,” said Elisapee Sheutiapik, president of Pauktuutit, the national Inuit women’s organization. “We must continue to build healthy families and communities to ensure that Inuit culture and traditions continue to flourish with future generations.”
The event will take place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Friday, September 10, behind the centennial flame on Parliament Hill. Inuit and non-Inuit alike are invited to attend and take part in traditional activities and performances.