February 11 marks the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day to celebrate the contributions that Indigenous women and girls make to the fields of science and technology. It is also a movement that aims to promote the full and equal participation of women and girls in the scientific community. Integral to this movement are Indigenous women who are the holders of generations of Traditional Knowledge and the best stewards of biodiversity.
Swapping seeds is essential to protecting biodiversity. January 28 is National Seed Swap Day and an occasion to share the incredible work of Las Delicias Botanical Garden in Misak territory, San Fernando, Silvia municipality, Colombia. Their work centers around the protection of native seeds through their circulation among families, the orchard, and the seed bank.
YIMOM is a network of Maya Tsotsil healer women who live in the community of Nuevo Corral Chꞌen el Ángel, Chiapas, Mexico, and work towards ensuring food security and food sovereignty for their communities by taking care of their soil.
Since mid-2021, the project "Strengthening Radio Communication, Organization, and Struggles of the Kakataibo Peoples," has been implemented by the Native Federation of Kakataibo Communities (FENACOKA) with the participation of youth and women and supported by Cultural Survival's Indigenous Community Media Fund.
From December 7-19, 2022, in Montreal, Canada, the 15th Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP15) is bringing together the countries who are parties to the Convention and various observer stakeholders, including Indigenous Peoples.
World Soil Day is held annually on December 5 as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources. For generations, Indigenous Peoples have shaped landscapes through a reciprocal relationship with the land, thus preserving healthy ecosystems. The connection to the land is mutually tied with Indigenous worldviews. Supporting traditional farming for Indigenous communities is vital.
By Verónica Aguilar (Mixtec, CS Staff)
The Katari River in Bolivia runs 90 kilometers and empties into Lake Titicaca at the point where Tiquipa, an Aymara settlement, is located. Due to its location in the Chojasivi Canton, Los Andes Province, and at an altitude of 3,800 meters above sea level, this community protects one of the most important ecosystems in the region. However, pollution of their river and lake has created an environmental emergency.
Por Natalia Sánchez González
By Natalia Sánchez González
Por Carolina de Freitas Pereira
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
