"Diplomacy is a very limited means of communication about a shared resource with diverse motivations".

I heard this definition on the radio in 2016, and it has always stuck with me. It occurs between institutions; between individuals it is a gamble. Camping in tents in the wide open lands of Alaska offers a chance to live simply for a few days, cooking food, sharing stories, and learning from each other. With the rise of many serious concerns, like AI, getting away from our screens, even from electricity, is becoming more important than ever. Meaningful, in-person dialogs are becoming more important. The Arctic is warming many times faster than the lower latitudes. Now it is more available for living in, for a few short days, on our guided camping trips.

Northern Diplomacy

We aim to be the northern hemisphere’s premier diplomatic center. Building bridges of understanding between people from all different backgrounds, Arctic Exploration aims to be the Northern hemisphere's premier diplomatic center.

National and international diplomacy, set within an Arctic landscape background, Arctic Exploration raises the stakes on engagement with the northern polar community by simply taking people on guided camping trips.

Alaska, with all its peoples, lands, animals, and plants, is the yardstick by which the world knows itself.

The Problem

Screen time, Artificial Intelligence, etc etc. The list of today's problems is long. Disconnection is quickly becoming the result of hundreds of thousands of years of being human, even of a million years of being human. The oldest artifact that points to us making abstract meaning is a shell with a few lines scratched onto it, and it is roughly estimated to be about a million years old.

Our brains have not changed in 100,000 years. Modern life is so full of technology which knows how to keep us scrolling that for some, a few days living on the Alaskan land in tents might seem like living on a different planet. Living simply, connecting, and engaging in meaningful dialog is getting harder and harder.

A Solution

Silent retreats, facilitated discussion for small groups (usually no more than six), focus on what is important to our guests. Practicing outdoor camping skills year-round is fun in the Interior of Alaska. During the summer months, the stars will mostly not be visible due to the continuous daylight. Wildlife may be around. But, as campers know, "everything tastes good when you're camping!"

Go outside

"I do not look for peace here. We are here in order to fight. We are warriors, and if we begin to know one another a little more truly it is because we do not accept that others would think we are working more than we are, and we try to give a true picture of our work - it is not peace at all. It is something much stronger. It demands something more from all of us." Jane Heap