Potsdam - The Future Forum is GIZ’s annual, mainly internal, conference to develop and advance learning in sectoral topics. It is one of the major fora for internal staff development. This year, it was hosted under the topic “Rethinking Development for a Digital, Green, and Just Transformation”.

The Session “Knowledge, Power and Diversity – the role of local and Indigenous knowledge systems in Rethinking Development” took place on the second conference day, as one of 14 parallel workshop sessions. The Session was hosted by Katharina Lobeck, Senior Advisor Knowledge and Learning, Dept 4E30, and featured Yon Fernandez de Larrinoa, Head of FAO’s Indigenous Peoples Unit, Patricia Dorn, Head of the GIZ Project „Protection of Aquatic Ecosystems in India's North-Eastern Himalayan Region” in India, and Ulrich Müller, Senior Advisor Networks, Knowledge Sharing and Triangular Cooperation, Dept 4E30.

Yon Fernandez de Larrinoa (FAO) provided the keynote speech for the session. He introduced the work of the Indigenous Peoples Unit at FAO, presented the characteristics of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems in the context of food security and related sectors, and raised questions about knowledge, power and diversity to rethink development cooperation.

Patricia Dorn presented the indigenous and local knowledge approach of the project for the protection of aquatic ecosystems in the North-Eastern Himalayan Region, while Ulrich Müller spoke about methods of working equitably and horizontally in diverse partnership approaches.

With over 160 participants, this session was the most attended break-out session of this year’s Future Forum. It was very well received by all participants and generated huge interest in the topic of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems. Ideas about extending collaborations with FAO’s indigenous Peoples unit were generated and new thinking about knowledge diversity and knowledge equity in international development was sparked.

Visualization

The @giz_gmbh #FutureForum in Potsdam🇩🇪 featured a session on "Knowledge Power and Diversity – the role of local and indigenous knowledge systems in rethinking development" on 14 September, also featuring Yon Fernandez de Larrinoa.

Read the illustration by @an_riese 👇 pic.twitter.com/p6j8lFge21

— FAO Indigenous Peoples (@FAOIndigenous) October 3, 2022

Further information:

GIZ Future Forum