Qeqqata Kommunia, together with its partners behind the World Heritage site Aasivissuit – Nipisat: Inuit Hunting Ground between Ice and Sea, has received the Rauma Award 2025 at the Nordic World Heritage Conference in Denmark.
The award is presented to Nordic World Heritage sites that have distinguished themselves through particularly strong collaboration and community engagement.
The jury’s motivation stated:
“The award is given to Qeqqata Kommunia and its partners at the World Heritage site Aasivissuit – Nipisat for their outstanding efforts to preserve a living cultural landscape where nature and culture are closely connected. Through inclusive cooperation, they have developed innovative ways to protect and share the area’s cultural heritage. At a time when the global community is under pressure, this work highlights the importance of making World Heritage accessible and meaningful beyond national borders – in the spirit of the World Heritage Convention.”
Long-Term Work Bearing Fruit
Over the past four years, Qeqqata Kommunia has carried out an extensive dissemination project in cooperation with foundations such as the 15. Juni Foundation, Aage V. Jensen Foundations, the Augustinus Foundation, and national lottery funds, as well as the municipal council. The work has included:
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the development of a new website with an interactive map,
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establishment of exhibitions at Sisimiut and Kangerlussuaq museums,
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production of new books to be published later,
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pilot projects in the open landscape,
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and comprehensive vulnerability assessments of the area.
These vulnerability assessments have been a crucial prerequisite for building a solid foundation for future work. The focus has been that local residents – the true custodians of the landscape – must always remain at the center. The development of the area must take place in close dialogue with the people who live here, ensuring that their knowledge, experiences, and needs form the basis.
As part of this process, pilot projects have already been carried out in the landscape to test theories and visions in practice. With this experience in hand, the work now enters a more outward-facing phase, where the next step will be to develop initiatives and projects that the local community can actively help establish.
An Award That Commits
Receiving the Rauma Award is a major recognition of the joint efforts between the municipality, local communities, and partners.
“We are very proud of this award. It shows that our long-term work is gaining international recognition, and that our thorough efforts with nature, culture, and local anchoring have a value far beyond Greenland’s borders,” says Paninnguaq Fleischer-Lyberth, Site Manager of the Aasivissuit – Nipisat World Heritage site.
The award is also a motivation to continue the work of preserving, protecting, and communicating the World Heritage of Aasivissuit – Nipisat – with respect for both the landscape and the people who live here.
Fact Box
In Qeqqata Kommunia lies the World Heritage site Aasivissuit – Nipisat: Inuit Hunting Ground between Ice and Sea. Aasivissuit – Nipisat works to preserve both the landscape, cultural heritage, and traditional hunting and fishing practices, which remain an active part of life today.
The area was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2018 and holds 4,200 years of history of hunting, fishing, settlement, and human adaptation to the Arctic environment.
The World Heritage work here is not only about safeguarding the landscape and cultural traces – but also about passing the stories forward, creating local development, and strengthening pride in the fact that this landscape is part of humanity’s shared heritage.
A very proud Site Manager for Aasivissuit – Nipisat, Paninnguaq Fleischer-Lyberth, received the award.
Further Information
Paninnguaq Fleischer-Lyberth
Site Manager
Aasivissuit – Nipisat
Qeqqata Kommunia
Email: Panf@qeqqata.gl
Mobile: (+299) 56 28 10
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