New York - On the 23rd of April 2024, in the framework of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), FAO co-organised a side-event that closely aligned with this year's theme of the UNPFII, which is focusing on “emphasizing the voices of Indigenous Youth". 

This side-event, co-organized by FAO, the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus (GIYC), the Association of World Reindeer Herders, Norway and the Mountain Partnership was titled “Calls to Action for Safeguarding Seven Generations in Times of Food, Social, and Ecological Crises: Reporting on the Outcomes of the 2023 UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum (UNGIYF) ". 

The UNGIYF is the only high-level biennial Forum in the UN for and by Indigenous Youth and it is hosted by FAO. Its creation followed Recommendation 90 from UNDESA and ECOSOC in 2019 to FAO to host this forum with the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus. and the inaugural Session was held online in 2021, due to covid-19 pandemic restrictions and gathered 136 Indigenous Youth. 

The II Session of the UNGIYF was held in-person at FAO Headquarters in Rome in October 2023. 186 Indigenous Youth, coming from 54 countries, speaking 93 languages and representing more than 98 Indigenous Peoples’ groups gathered for five days of discussions and events. The main outcome of the II Session of the UNGIYF is the 2023 Rome Declaration on Safeguarding Seven Generations in times of Food, Social and Ecological Crisis.  

The Declaration presents Indigenous Youth challenges, proposals, calls to action and clear recommendations to Member states, UN Agencies, academia and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations. This document was presented to the 51st Session of the CFS and it was officially launched during a side-event at the COP28 in Dubai. 

The side-event, co-organized by FAO and held on the 23rd April at the UNPFII presented some insights on the UNGIYF, on its outcomes and on the way forward, recognising Indigenous Youth as key actors for the future or climate, biodiversity and food systems’ transformation.  

The event was moderated by Ms. Makanalani Gomes, GIYC former Co-Chair, and Ms. Mikaila Way, Indigenous Youth Focal Point for FAO's Indigenous Peoples Unit. The moderators underlined the importance and of “diversity and representation in such a Forum, which brought together 20-25 Delegates from each socio-cultural region", said Ms. Way. Makanalani Gomes reminded that this achievement was possible “thanks to the foundations laid by elders, which then passed them on to us". 

Opening the discussion, Ms. Mai Thin Yu Mon, Former Co-Chair of the GIYC, also reminded of the long path that led to the 2023 UNGIYF. “No space for Indigenous Youth, Indigenous Women and Indigenous Peoples come easily. There are always challenges, but these make us stronger, when we learn how to navigate them. We have to maintain these spaces".  

Mr. Yon Fernandez de Larrinoa, Head FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, which holds the Secretariat of the UNGIYF, also recognized the many years of collaborations needed to make the UNGIYF a reality. “We are already working for the 2025 III Session of the UNGIYF. In the meanwhile we invite everybody to read and engage with the 2023 Rome Declaration on Safeguarding Seven Generations in times of Food, Social and Ecological Crisis, which provides clear recommendations and a clear direction for the way forward". 

Mr. Anders Oskal, Secretary General of the Association of World Reindeer Herders also accompanied the opening remarks with a video message in which he stressed the importance “that Indigenous Youth work with their food and knowledge systems, understand them, document them and revitalize them, if needed, to bring them from the shadow on to the stage". 

H.E. Morten von Hanno Aasland, Ambassador of Norway, and Permanent Representative of Norway to the Rome-based UN Agencies, also addressed the event with a video message, reiterating “Norway's commitment to support the implementation of the Indigenous Youth Rome Declaration. We are committed to ensure that the process started in 2021 with the I Session of the UNGIYF continues in 2025 with the III Session". 

Following the opening remarks, the discussion focused on the voices and messages brought to the event by a delegation of Indigenous Youth from different socio-cultural regions, who shared the takeaways and goals for their regions in the aftermath of the UNGIYF. 

Ms. Seemran Rashmi Bansingh, Founder/Director of Indigenae Global Confederation, and member of the UNGIYF Asian Indigenous Youth Delegate, recognized that “In a world damaged by exploitation and injustices, Indigenous Youth feel marginalized and left behind. Despite these challenges, initiatives like the UNGIYF are our hope". 

Ms. Brenda Saloj, Latin American and the Caribbean Focal Point of the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus, acknowledged that “the UNGIYF allowed us to enrich our knowledge about our territories and cultures. We have to take actions to rescue the knowledge that has been lost. This is our task as Indigenous Youth”. 

Mr. Samuel Stanley, member of the UNGIYF African Indigenous Youth Regional Delegation, highlighted some of the challenges that Indigenous Youth face in Africa, as well as in other regions. “One of the main issues we are facing in the African region is about land tenure rights. We don’t have rights to the lands of our communities. And our food come from our lands. If we don’t have land rights, how are we going to come up with our foods?". 

Mr. Gervais Ndihokubwayo, member of the UNGIYF African Indigenous Youth Regional Delegation, echoed the previous message, stating that “land and environmental protection are crucial for our culture and for the existence of our people. We demand Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) for the issues that affect our lands". 

The word then passed to the representative of different organisations that look forward to strengthening their collaboration with Indigenous Youth and that carefully read and engaged with the 2023 Indigneous Youth Rome Declaration. 

Ms. Ivy Pete, Champion for Change 2022 of the Center for Native American Youth and member of the Mountain Partnership reminded that “Indigenous Youth have a great responsibility to share the immense knowledge that we have, to preserve it for those yet to be born. Knowledge that had been protected by our ancestors of the 7 past generations". 

Ms. Prerana Lama, Representative of the Mountain Youth Hub, stated that “with the Mountain Youth Hub we are engaged in vital discussions and preparations to address the pressing issues of food security and ecosystem restoration: challenges that disproportionately affect Indigenous Peoples". 

Ms. Anne Brunel, from the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, reiterated that “the Global-Hub is a space of co-creation of knowledge that is open to Indigenous Youth. We are also at their service to support actions at field level". 

Closing this event, Ms. Mai Thin Yumon acknowledged that “as Indigenous Youth, we know what we want to be, where we want to go, and how to transform the systems that are oppressing us. We are not only the future. Indigenous Youth are the leaders of the present". 

Find more about Indigenous Youth challenges and proposals emerged during the 2023 UNGIYF in this video. 

The recording of the side-event can be found at this link: 

https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1m/k1mhqh1azi