Uummannaq Polar Institute

Uummannaq Polar Institute is an umbrella for the outdoor activities undertaken by the Uummannaq Children's Home. Whilst the Greenlandic culture is enshrined in all of the activities undertaken, it´s purpose is wholly to promote educational programmes for young Inuit children that reside in the Children´s Home.

It is situated in Uummannaq, North-West coast of Greenland. UPI functions hence as a permanent workshop with inspiring alternative means such as dog-sledge expeditions, study-travels, scientific work, film-making, music, theatre and painting.

UPI was founded in 2007 by Ann Andreasen, Rebekka Jorgensen and Jean-Michel Huctin.

The Institute wasinaugurated in 2009 by HSH the Prince Albert II of Monaco, Professor Jean Malaurie, a distinguished French anthropologist and UNESCO goodwill ambassador for the Arctic, and by Arthur Chilingarov, polar explorer and ex-Vice-President of the Russian Parliament.

The Children's Home in Uummannaq was founded in 1929 by the Association 'Greenlandic Children', as a sanatorium for sick and orphaned children and adolescents. The Children's Home is Greenland's oldest and one of the world's northernmost residential institution.

The association 'Greenlandic Children' ran the sanatorium until the mid-1950s, when the operation was handed over to the Danish Ministry for Greenland. In 1979 the Children's Home operation moved under the Home Rule of Greenland, which in 2008 changed to the Self-Government of Greenland.

The Children's Home in Uummannaq offers a day and night treatment for Greenlandic children and young people, and it is operating with reference to the Department of Family and Justice.

The Children's Home is located in Uummannaq town, which is a small fishing and hunting community on an island in the North-West Greenland.

Read more.....