Ilisimatusarfik's Annual Celebration: 2 new honorary doctorates & 3 new PhDs

On Friday, Ilisimatusarfik celebrated its traditional Annual Celebration - a day on which we celebrate both our work and our role in society.

The festivities included speeches, music, and solemn ceremonies - and this year, the focus was particularly on the awarding of honorary doctorates and PhD degrees.

Two new honorary doctorates

Ilisimatusarfik's highest honorary title, the honorary doctorate, was awarded this year to:

Klaus Nygaard - former director of Greenland Institute of Natural Resources

For several decades, Klaus Nygaard has played a central role in the development of Greenland's research environment. He was the driving force behind the relocation of Greenland's Fisheries Survey in the 1990s and the founding of Pinngortitaleriffik in Nuuk, which is now nationally and internationally a recognized research institution.

Klaus Nygaard has been a visionary in the development of research infrastructure in Greenland. He played a key role in the modernization of the research fleet and in the establishment of research stations.

His efforts to create new educational pathways have also been a significant contribution. He played a central role in establishing the SILA biology programme, a bachelor's degree programme that gives young people in Greenland the opportunity to build a solid academic foundation in Arctic biology, paving the way for research and research education.

Klaus Nygaard's efforts have had a lasting impact on research, education, and management of Greenland's living resources.

Mariane Petersen (posthumous) - poet, translator, and former museum director at Greenland National Museum

Throughout her long career, Mariane Petersen has made an outstanding contribution to Greenland's cultural and academic development. As museum director at Greenland National Museum from 1982 to 2004, she was a prominent archaeologist who secured important findings and strengthened the preservation of the country's cultural heritage.

She created the first Greenlandic technical vocabulary in Arctic archaeology and translated Greenland's Prehistory into Greenlandic - an effort that has paved the way for new generations of researchers and museum experts. Her research also included scientific articles, including the voice of Greenlandic women in culture and on the national dress in the 20th century.

As an author and translator, she has also had a significant impact on Greenlandic literature and language, including her poetry collection Piniartorsuit kinguaavi, which was nominated for the Nordic Council Literature Prize.

Mariane Petersen was not only committed to history, but also to contemporary society, including as a member of the municipal council in Nuuk. She was both an academic and literary bridge builder, and her work has left a lasting mark on Greenland's cultural and intellectual life.

Throughout their lives, both Klaus Nygaard and Mariane Petersen have made significant contributions to Greenland - efforts that were now honored on Ilisimatusarfik's biggest stage.

3 new PhDs

At the same time, three new researchers joined the ranks of PhD graduates from Ilisimatusarfik:

• Aviaq Fleischer - with the PhD project "Arkivskatte - kulturarv fra Grønland og om Grønland. Arktis: medier, arkiver, formidlinger" ("Archival treasures – cultural heritage from Greenland and about Greenland. The Arctic: media, archives, communication")

• Parnuna Egede Dahl - with the PhD project "Utilization of Indigenous knowledge in environmental impact assessment of resource development projects in Greenland and the Canadian Arctic"

• Sara Olsvig - with the PhD project "Win the hearts and minds - Superpower influence on national self-determination - How relations between Greenland and the United States affect Greenland’s selfdetermination in times of increased international focus and tension in the Arctic"

Aviaq, Parnuna, and Sara's PhD projects all add important new knowledge and underscore Ilisimatusarfik's role as a center for research in and about Greenland.

A day of celebration with powerful words, lamp lighting, and Qilaat

Rector Gitte Adler Reimer opened the Annual Celebration with her welcome speech, followed by speeches from Pro-Rector Mari Kleist and Naalakkersuisoq for Education, Culture, Sport & Church, Nivi Olsen.

All three put into words the significance of Ilisimatusarfik - both historically, right now, and in relation to the society of the future.

The music was provided by Maaliannguaq Petrussen and Jaaku Sørensen, while Karen Kuka Fleischer was responsible for the symbolic lighting of the lamp and the closing ceremony with Qilaat.

After the ceremony, the celebration continued at a reception.

The 2025 Annual Celebration was a celebration of everything Ilisimatusarfik has achieved - and a clear look ahead to the new tasks and opportunities that await.

Photographer: Emil Stach