The Inuit Circumpolar Conference is an internal organization representing approximately 130,000 Inuit living in the Arctic, (and some sub-Arctic) regions of Canada, Alaska, Greenland, and Chukota, Russia.

The principal goals of the ICC are:

• to strengthen unity among inuit of the circumpolar region;
• to promote Inuit rights and interests at the international level;
• to develop and encourage long-term policies which safeguard the arctic environment;
• to seek full and active partnership in the political, economic, and social development of circumpolar regions; and
• to secure recognition of the Inuit right to self-determination and their equal rights as a people.

The ICC has enjoyed status as a non-governmental organization with the United Nations since 1983, and has worked extensively within the United Nations and other international standard-setting fora to have Indigenous peoples' collective and individual rights recognized as essential components of the international human rights framework.

In particular, the ICC has participated for many years in sessions of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Peoples (WGIP) to assist with the drafting of a Universal declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. ICC has strongly supported the draft declaration as put forward by the WGIP, and actively lobbies for its adoption by the Commission on Human Rights and the UN General Assembly.

The ICC is active in a wide range of international forums, such as the International Whaling Commission, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy, the Arctic Leaders Summit, as well as various UN working groups and agencies. In addition, the ICC acts as an advocate of Inuit interests with national governments on international issues affecting Inuit interests.

The ICC President and Executive Council are elected every three years at the ICC General Assembly which brings together delegates from across the circumpolar north to develop policy guidelines and resolutions to direct the Executive Council in its work.

An essential element of the ICC's mandate is to promote the social and cultural development of Inuit in the circumpolar world. ICC's General Assembly includes an Elders' Conference which invites elders from all member regions to take an active role in the development of key initiatives and to provide direction to the Conference. As well, the ICC actively encourages the participation of youth in the decision-making process through their participation on general Assembly delegations.

The Inuit in Greenland, Canada, Alaska and Chukota have long been concerned about the trade barriers that have resulted from the national borders crossing through their circumpolar homeland. In 1994, the ICC took initial steps to remedy this situation, successfully lobbing to have the United States government amend the Marine Mammal Protection act to allow cultural trade and exchanges between Indigenous groups.

To further promote trade and sustainable economic development in the Arctic, the ICC convened a circumpolar Inuit business development conference in 1993 and has since prepared a development plan, and a business plan, for an Inuit Business Directory, which will identify Inuit businesses and their capabilities in order to facilitate business and trade opportunities across the circumpolar region.

Through its international network, the ICC has also facilitated business and trade linkages with other Indigenous peoples around the world on a partnership basis. This work has included research as well as projects relating to the transfer of Inuit expertise in the areas of training, institution-building, fisheries development and traditional knowledge mapping techniques.

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