Turtle Island Dialogues towards the UN Food Systems Summit

In 2021, UN Secretary-General António Guterres will convene a Food Systems Summit as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Guided by five Action Tracks, the Summit will bring together key players from the worlds of science, business, policy, healthcare and academia, as well as farmers, Indigenous Peoples, youth organizations, consumer groups, environmental activists, and other key stakeholders. Before, during and after the Summit, these actors will come together to bring about tangible, positive changes to the world’s food systems. Food Systems Summit Dialogues offer a powerful opportunity for people everywhere to have a seat at the table at this milestone UN Summit. 

Dialogues bring together a diversity of stakeholders, including voices that are seldom heard, and provide an important opportunity for participants to debate, collaborate, and take action towards a better future. The ideas, solutions, partnerships and action plans generated in the Dialogues are critical to the Summit’s success. UN Food Systems Summit 2021: https://www.un.org/en/food-systems-summit/about

Join Denisa Livingston (Diné), Appointed Member of the Champions Network of the UN Food Systems Summit, with fellow Indigenous organizers from Turtle Island for a series of dialogues in April 2021:

Thursday, April 1st from 2 – 3:30pm Mountain Time (MT)

Dialogue Topic: Grief, Trauma, Care

Moderated by Denisa Livingston & Dr. Rod McCormick (Kanienkehaka-Mohawk), Senior Professor and Research Chair in Indigenous Health, Thompson Rivers University 

Register Here https://forms.gle/PqabHit7Z4zBCNCfA

Thursday, April 8th from 2 – 3:30pm MT

Dialogue Topic: Traditional Harvesting

Moderated by Denisa Livingston & Ken Paul (Wolastoqwey Neqotkuk First Nation) Lead Researcher & Negotiator of Fisheries of Wolastoqwey First Nation

Register Here https://forms.gle/UsCx1s86LnyJUqFw9

Thursday, April 15th from 2 – 3:30pm MT

Dialogue Topic: Transforming Isolation

Moderated by Denisa Livingston & Jane Lokomaika`ikeakua Au, Program Director, `Āina Momona

Register Here https://forms.gle/kAHVaDZpe6WW1eMA7

Side Events co-organized by FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit at the United Nations 20th Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII):

Monday, April 19th  

9 – 10am PDT/10-11am MDT/12 – 1pm EDT 

“Contributions of Indigenous Youth in the strengthening of Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems”  *Denisa Livingston will be one of the panelists* 

Register here: 

https://fao.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6D3S8xEVQh6T7aG1D2cGxA 

Wednesday, April 21st
9 – 10:30am PDT/10 – 11:30am MDT/12:00 – 1:30pm EDT
“Sustainable Development Goal 16; Indigenous Peoples’ Collective Rights: The Role of FAO in Contributing to Achieving Peace and Justice for Indigenous Peoples”
Zoom Link : https://fao.zoom.us/j/97146540275
Passcode: 55932826

Thursday, April 22nd
10 – 11:30 PDT/ 11am – 12:30pm MDT/ 1 – 2:30pm EDT
“Towards the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022): Indigenous Peoples’ inland small-scale fisheries for healthy food systems”
Zoom Link: https://fao.zoom.us/j/95113031144
Passcode: 82471736

Monday, April 26th
6 – 8am PDT/ 7 – 9am MDT/ 9 – 11am EDT
“Indigenous Peoples’ agency to contribute to the UNFSS Action Track 3 and Action Track 4 game-changing initiatives”
www.ifad.org/en/web/latest/event/asset/42512417

Find additional information on the 20th Session: https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/unpfii-sessions-2/unpfii-20th-session.html

Background info and insights:

• Dec 15, 2020 : High-Level Expert Seminar on North American Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems, towards the UN Food Systems Summit: http://www.fao.org/north-america/news/detail/en/c/1366178/
• Final statement from the Seminar's Indigenous Technical Committee: 

http://msgfocus.com/files/amf_fao/workspace_215/Statements/Final_Statement_on_North_American_Indigenous_Peoples_Food_Sytems_24_Dec_2020_High-Level_Expert_Seminar_DEC_15.pdf

• April 1, 2021: Indigenous leaders of the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems and Anne Nuorgam and Geoffrey Roth presented the Whipala/White Paper on Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems to the leaders of the Scientific Group of the UN Food Systems Summit. The paper is being finalized. Here is a press release about the Paper and Knowledge Exchange yesterday: http://www.fao.org/indigenous-peoples/news-article/en/c/1392467/

Find more here: UPDATES and MORE INFO

More info: https://summitdialogues.org/ 

Become a UN Food Systems Hero: https://www.un.org/en/food-systems-summit/become-food-systems-hero