After 13 months of planning, and 12 successful days of programming during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, the Project Team of YFN 2010 has begun Legacy planning.  With 70 Yukon First Nations directly involved in the Project from all across the Yukon, the opportunities for Yukon First Nations in youth, culture, mentorship and tourism development are tremendous.  Sustainability will be the focus of the teams work, ensuring that the investments and the experiences for the whole team last well beyond 2010.

“From this Project, we intentionally invested in people and product development – to not only present Yukon First Nations to the world, but also to continue the energy and inspiration from the Games for all Yukon First Nations,” said Katie Johnson, Co-Executive Producer of Project YFN 2010.  “The greatest consideration in anything we do moving forward is that it must be guided by the contingent that shared this Olympic experience”.

The first step in Legacy Planning includes a meeting of a smaller and representative group from the full team to begin discussions, present ideas and facilitate next steps planning.  From there, this group or ‘council’ will guide all work moving forward, together with support and input from partners, funders and the larger Yukon community.

Project YFN 2010 included the development of Yukon First Nations people and products to take to the world stage last February in Vancouver.  Over a year of preparation and planning went into the Project and highlights include:

·         Arriving on February 17^th, members of Yukon First Nations 2010 performed in over 15 venues during 6 full days of programming from the Surrey Live Site to Grouse Mountain and the Athletes Village to West Vancouver and more – great partnerships with Yukon Culture @ 2010.

·         The YFN 2010 Art Gallery in the FHFN Artisan Village and Business Showcase was world class with many commenting that they’d walked into a professional gallery as opposed to a trade show retail space.

·         February 21, 2010 was the Yukon First Nations Day in the Aboriginal Pavilion.  Beginning at 9:30, we hosted a full house in the Jack Poole Reception Hall for a Press Conference, followed by a historical welcoming and gift giving ceremony by the Four Host First Nations.   Gifts were exchanged by YFN to the FHFN as well and all our performers entered the Hall drumming and singing – in celebration and song.

·         Each of the 4 shows that day was performed to an ‘over-full’ house with line-ups 2 hours long.

·         The YFN 2010 Project and members of our contingent were introduced to BC based travel media at an invite-only reception in Canada’s North House – thanks to a partnership with Yukon Government’s Tourism & Culture.

·         After the 4^th show, all our performers and artists danced and sang in the sun for the public for about 15 minutes – spectators saying that this was the best thing they have ever seen in 30 years living in Vancouver.

·         Visual Artists set up in the Richmond Ozone from the 23^rd to the 28^th with other Pan North partners, providing a gallery experience and retail opportunity.

·         The Four Host First Nations constantly reminded us that Yukon First Nations have set a high bar in programming, preparedness and world class experiences and were to be recognized and congratulated.

·         Our youth played many diverse roles from backstage performance support, to dress and make up, to support media relations, servicing dignitaries, leaders and sponsors and talking to the public at every moment.  All 8 of our Youth Team participated in the Vancouver 2010 Olympics Opening Ceremonies and two were invited to participate in the Closing Ceremonies as well.

YFN 2010 would like to acknowledge the tremendous partnerships built amongst governments, organizations and the private sector.  Partnership and collaboration were keys to the Projects success.  Thank you to CanNor (Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency), the Yukon Government, all Yukon First Nations governments and leadership and the private sector.  For more information on Project sponsors, partners and supporters, go to: http://www.yfn2010.org/about-us/friends/

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