Media are invited to attend the 2025-26 Mentor-Apprentice Program gathering, which honours program participants who completed up to 200 hours of one-on-one language learning over the past nine months.

Media opportunities:

• Photo and video opportunities
• Conduct interviews with the mentors and apprentices
• Conduct interviews with program organizers and alumni

The Mentor-Apprentice Program brings a fluent speaker (a mentor) and a learner (apprentice) together to live life in the language, learning an Indigenous language through immersion. The goal is for apprentices to increase their ability to understand and speak their language, which supports the revitalization and continued use of Indigenous languages in the Northwest Territories. Since 2018, over 180 Apprentices have completed their 200 hour immersion experience, and six former Apprentices have progressed into mentor roles.

This event is hosted by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT), in partnership with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Gwich’in Tribal Council, Sahtu Dene Council, Dehcho First Nations, Tłı̨chǫ Government, NWT Métis Nation and Akaitcho Territory Government.

Where: Explorer Hotel, Katimavik room A/B, Yellowknife
When: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Please RSVP by 5:00p.m. on February 23 by emailing:

Agata Gutkowska
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Department of Education, Culture and Employment
Government of the Northwest Territories
Agata_Gutkowska@gov.nt.ca