By H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, President, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Managing Director, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD)

At this critical moment for nature, the world needs conservation approaches that are not only ambitious, but also equitable and inclusive. That’s why Indigenous leadership is not just a part of the IUCN World Conservation Congress agenda – it is central to it.

Since the creation of the Indigenous Peoples’ Organisations (IPO) membership category in 2016, Indigenous leadership has increasingly become a leading voice within IUCN. In this contribution, Krizzley Ordoñez García of Asociación Ak’Tenamit (IUCN Member organisation, Guatemala) highlights how Indigenous youth are strengthening land rights, using GIS technology, and carrying forward indigenous traditional knowledge to protect critical ecosystems. With the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025 ahead, the message is clear: it is critical to recognise Indigenous Peoples as co-creators of global conservation solutions.

Sacred natural sites are vital to both culture and conservation. In this article, Amy Lewis, Managing Director of Policy and Programmes at WILD Foundation (IUCN Member organisation), explores the origins of IUCN Motion 107, which strengthens Indigenous leadership in protecting sacred landscapes, species, and ecological knowledge. Highlighting the lifelong stewardship of Chief Arvol Looking Horse and the Oceti Sakowin Oyate, the piece shows how honoring sacred obligations and centering Indigenous governance can safeguard biodiversity while preserving spiritual and ecological heritage.

The UAE has approved a free fast-track process for Congress participants who are fully registered, paid in full, and requested a Visa Invitation Letter. 

Through the Global Environment Facility’s Inclusive Conservation Initiative, Indigenous-led organisations are receiving and managing large-scale funding – often for the first time – on their terms. They’re restoring ancestral governance, stewarding biodiversity, and piloting new ways of defining and measuring conservation success.

In the Kaimur Hills, conservation is rooted in memory, not just policy. Aditya Akash, Project Associate at NIAS and Member of the IUCN Commission on Education and Communication (CEC), explores how the Oraon tribe’s sacred traditions and Rohtasgarh Fort reveal a model of conservation grounded in community, culture, and emotional stewardship – offering lessons for a more equitable, nature-positive future.

An invitation to the High-Level Business Summit (10 – 11 October) at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025.

Joint Statement by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), TNFD (Taskforce for Nature-Related Financial Disclosure), and NPI (Nature Positive Initiative)