The Aslak project - interactive "'Wikipedia" by the indigenous

The goal is to create a free, interactive, continuously updated platform with a solid database of all the relevant information of the Arctic. The project is aimed at the indigenous communities. Like ''Wikipedia'', communities contribute to the database constantly, the idea is to develop a reliable, up-to-date platform (with maps, news, regulations…), easy to use. Finding information about the Arctic in one place is difficult. The tool would be a participative one: the Arctic people could report abnormalities or violations, or even positive changes in the area. With their generational knowledge they can be the eyes and ears of the Arctic, and learn more about the rapidly changing area. The second participant to the project should be an entity/entities (NGOs, associations...) which can collect the already existing information and fact-check it, and forward the observations made by the people of the Arctic.It is primordial to include the indigenous people to the project from the start, give them the control and let them handle the promotion. The indigenous might be suspicious of outsiders, but they understand the value of the environment. Therefore, not only would the tool reinforce the autonomy of the indigenous people, but also be a strategic one for the EU. Having local knowledgeable eyes and ears in the Arctic would be a huge advantage not only for the security of the Union but also for the Sustainable Development Goals