Canada and Italy have longstanding relations and historic cooperation and partnerships in the areas of culture, trade, investment, and science & technology. Following the May 2013 admission of Italy as an Arctic Council Observer nation, both countries see opportunities for further collaborations to share and discover new knowledge relevant to the Arctic and its people. The Canadian Polar Commission and the Embassy of Italy in Canada are pleased to organize a joint workshop involving key Canadian and Italian arctic knowledge experts. This event to be held in Ottawa will be a catalyst for concrete innovation development at the international level and will further enhance bilateral cooperation between Italian and Canadian research organizations and communities, in the context of the recent launch of EU Research and Innovation Programme (EU Horizon 2020).