Around the world, Indigenous peoples often live in contested border areas on the front lines of violent conflict, insurgency and organized crime. And with limited employment opportunities, Indigenous peoples are disproportionately recruited into armed groups. Meanwhile, illicit traffickers and criminals target their lands for natural resources, ranging from violence from extractive industries operating illegally to the poaching of protected species and land theft. Yet despite these many risks and obstacles, Indigenous communities have consistently drawn on their traditions, culture and religious practices to resolve violence and build local peace. While often highly successful, these efforts are underappreciated by the peacebuilding community or ignored entirely in formal peace processes.

To bridge this gap, USIP is bringing together 50 Indigenous leaders from around the world to foster broader understanding of the unique capacities and approaches that allow Indigenous leaders to resist violence and build peace. This historic event will help develop recommendations to advance the inclusion of Indigenous people in peace processes and establish a global network of Indigenous peacebuilders who can work to mitigate and resolve violent conflict across borders.

Speakers:

• Lise Grande 
  President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace 
• Secretary Debra Haaland, keynote address
  Secretary of the Interior, U.S. Department of the Interior
• Palwasha Kakar 
  Interim Director, Religion and Inclusive Societies, U.S. Institute of Peace 
• Wakerahkáhtste Louise McDonald Herne
  Bear Clan Mother, Mohawk Nation Council 
• Binalakshmi Nepram 
  Senior Advisor, Religion and Inclusive Societies Program, U.S. Institute of Peace
• Michael A. Orona 
  Senior Advisor for Global Strategy and International Indigenous Issues, U.S Department of State
• Chief Wilton Littlechild 
  Grand Chief, Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations

Register

This description was excerpted from usip.org