Indigenous Peoples' leadership in conservation

Dear G,

The IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 is fast approaching – and this edition puts people front and centre.

From Indigenous leaders protecting sacred lands to Indigenous youth driving innovative solutions, these stories show how equity, culture, and leadership are shaping a nature-positive future. Explore opportunities to engage, from the Youth Summit and Indigenous Peoples’ Summit to the draft Congress programme and business initiatives. Conservation isn’t just about policy – it’s about people, purpose, and action.

Connect, learn, and lead at the world’s most diverse conservation gathering.

Equity in action - elevating Indigenous voices for nature

By H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Managing Director, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)

At this critical moment for nature, the world needs conservation approaches that are not only ambitious, but also equitable and inclusive. That’s why Indigenous leadership is not just a part of the IUCN World Conservation Congress agenda – it is central to it.

Advancing the Global Indigenous Agenda at IUCN - Asociación Ak’Tenamit

Since the creation of the Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations (IPO) membership category in 2016, Indigenous leadership has increasingly become a leading voice within IUCN. In this contribution, Krizzley Ordoñez García of Asociación Ak’Tenamit (IUCN Member organisation, Guatemala) highlights how Indigenous youth are strengthening land rights, using GIS technology, and carrying forward indigenous traditional knowledge to protect critical ecosystems. With the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 ahead, the message is clear: it is critical to recognise Indigenous Peoples as co-creators of global conservation solutions.

The Sacred at stake: origins of Motion 107

Sacred natural sites are vital to both culture and conservation. In this article, Amy Lewis, Managing Director of Policy and Programmes at WILD Foundation (IUCN Member organisation), explores the origins of IUCN Motion 107, which strengthens Indigenous leadership in protecting sacred landscapes, species, and ecological knowledge. Highlighting the lifelong stewardship of Chief Arvol Looking Horse and the Oceti Sakowin Oyate, the piece shows how honoring sacred obligations and centering Indigenous governance can safeguard biodiversity while preserving spiritual and ecological heritage.