Foreign reporters to swamp Iqaluit this weekend

MICHAELA RODRIGUE
Nunatsiaq News

IQALUIT — Iqaluit’s streets will be teeming with foreign reporters once again next week when French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Jean Chrétien come to town.

The duo, along with their wives, will arrive in Nunavut Monday morning after attending a meeting of French-speaking nations in Moncton, New Brunswick.

In tow will be about 60 French journalists and 10 Canadians. Two ambassadors are also expected to make the trip.

That night there will be a dinner at Steenberg’s Bed and Breakfast.

That morning, the two leaders and Nunavut Premier Paul Okalik will visit the Legislative Assembly. John Amagoalik will be decorated as a knight of France’s Legion of Honour at the gathering.

The leaders and their wives will then visit the Association of Francophones of Nunavut.

At 12:10 p.m. the leaders and Mrs. Chirac will arrive in Cape Dorset, where they’re expected to view the print shop. Cape Dorset Mayor John Curley will then host a luncheon.

It’s then off to Pangnirtung, where they will tour the town and make a helicopter trip to Auyuittuq National Park.

Upon their return to Iqaluit that evening, a reception and concert will be held at Inuksuk High School. Susan Aglukark will perform at the concert.

During his visit to the Francophone Association of Nunavut, Chirac will unveil a new Internet site dubbed a “virtual museum” of Inuit art.

The site http://ambafrance.org/NUNAVUT was developed by the French Embassy, the francophone association and Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum in Iqaluit.

The high-tech web site displays three dimensional, rotating images of Inuit sculptures. It also has Inuit stories in Inuktitut, English and French.

The museum provided the site with many of the pieces of art work and information, said manager and curator Brian Lunger.

Lunger said compared to what’s that are already out there, he believes the new site could make Inuit art available to more people.

“I’ve been warned to expect a lot of e-mails he said.

Chirac is expected to leave Canada from Iqaluit on Tuesday, Sept. 7.