Photo by Peggy Smith” The Sacred Fire

Session 544″ Promoting a New Conservation Ethic Based on Respect for Indigenous Peoples

Tuesday” September 11″ 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.

Community Ma-eul” Room 101

A priority identified at an IUCN Canadian Forum was “recognizing the inherent responsibilities and guardianship Aboriginal people have with respect to the earth” there is a need to recognize their ways of knowing and their treaty rights” and to engage in cross-cultural relationships in support of joint priorities.” Four Indigenous representatives from North America” South America” Africa and Asia will discuss their connections to land and how those connections are being challenged by conservation initiatives that are foreign to their world view. Representatives from two conservation organizations that are working to be more responsive to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the IUCN Conservation Initiative on Human Rights will be part of the dialogue.

The session will focus on finding common ground and new policy directions. It will be organized under these topics: a) Indigenous peoples´ practices in the preservation of lands” territories and natural resources; b) western conservation practices and threats to Indigenous peoples´ stewardship; c) mechanisms to protect Indigenous peoples´ rights under domestic and international law” as well as identifying gaps; and d) how to move forward from ideas to joint action.

This workshop will build on the January 2011 CEESP Sharing Power conference. That conference acknowledged that “open and respectful dialogues are needed to transform the dominant paradigm for conservation and development. Individuals and groups belonging to different cultures can be brought together to generate a deeper understanding of each others´ world views and this can lead to transformative action.”

Objectives: To contribute to recognizing the inherent responsibilities and guardianship Indigenous Peoples have with respect to the earth and acknowledging the need to recognize Indigenous ways of knowing and Indigenous rights” and to promote cross-cultural relationships in support of joint priorities

Shortened abstract (why is this of relevance to participants out of the hundreds of events):

Conservation organizations do not always respect Indigenous Peoples’ rights” values and lands in their quest to expand protected areas. The session will encourage an open dialogue among Indigenous peoples and conservation organizations with the goal of finding common ground and new policy directions. These topics will be discussed: a) Indigenous peoples´ practices in the preservation of lands” territories and natural resources; b) western conservation practices and threats to Indigenous peoples’ stewardship; c) mechanisms to protect Indigenous peoples’ rights under domestic and international law” as well as identifying gaps; and d) how to move forward from ideas to joint action.

Four Indigenous representatives from North America” South America” Africa and Asia will discuss their connections to land and how those connections are being challenged by conservation initiatives that are foreign to their world view. Representatives from two conservation organizations that are working to be more responsive to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the IUCN Conservation Initiative on Human Rights will be part of the dialogue.

Contact for details: Margaret A. (Peggy) Smith” Co-Vice Chair North America and the Caribbean” Commission on Environmental” Economic and Social Policy (CEESP)” email: [email protected]

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