Razan Al Mubarak, President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), marked the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples with a message recognizing the central role of Indigenous leadership in global conservation. Ms. Al Mubarak affirms: 

“Indigenous Peoples are at the heart of conservation — not as stakeholders, but as leaders. Their knowledge systems, values, and enduring connection to nature offer wisdom the world urgently needs.”

From 8–10 October 2025, the first-ever World Summit of Indigenous Peoples and Nature will be held during the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, under the theme Our Knowledge is the Language of Mother Earth. Co-organized by IUCN, the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) and IUCN Indigenous Peoples Organization (IPO) Members, with support from Global Affairs Canada and DANIDA, the invitation-only gathering will bring together around 100 Indigenous leaders alongside IUCN representatives, philanthropic allies, private-sector actors, and donors.

As president of IUCN, Ms. Al Mubarak added: 

“Bringing the World Summit of Indigenous Peoples and Nature into the heart of the IUCN Congress in Abu Dhabi is more than symbolic; it affirms that Indigenous Peoples are indispensable leaders in global conservation. Their knowledge, values, and guardianship of nature must shape how we meet our 2030 goals and build a future rooted in equity, respect, and ecological balance.”

Held at the heart of the Congress, the Summit will feature thematic panels on Indigenous women’s leadership in water governance, the interconnection between climate, nature and people, and the role of Indigenous Traditional Territories in biodiversity and climate solutions, alongside daily cultural presentations and spiritual invocations. It will also provide a global knowledge exchange linking Indigenous leaders with communities in Abu Dhabi.

The event builds on commitments made at the IUCN Congress in Marseille, including the IUCN Global Indigenous Agenda, and will reflect on Indigenous contributions to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Paris Agreement, the UAE Consensus, and the principles of the Marseille Manifesto. It will also serve as a milestone ahead of COP30 in Belém, highlighting Indigenous-led initiatives such as the PODONG Indigenous Peoples Initiative.Ms. Al Mubarak invites everyone to learn more about this historic gathering — and the journey that led to it — in a new article for IUCN by Dr. Anita F. Tzec, Maya Yucatec leader and Senior Program Manager for the IUCN Indigenous Peoples and Conservation Programme.