Established by the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) under Resolution № 169, the Walter Hickel Medal honors individuals who have made significant contributions to Northern regional development and the Northern Forum.

The award is named after Walter Hickel, the former Governor of Alaska and U.S. Secretary of the Interior, who served as the Northern Forum’s first Chair (1992–1994).

Established by the Northern Forum under Resolution № 261, the Robert Moiseev Medal recognizes outstanding achievements in science and education within the North and the Russian Far East.

The medal honors Robert Savelievich Moiseev (1937–2007), a renowned expert in regional economics, demography, and ecology.