GCILL at the 12th World Wilderness Congress
Indigenous Leadership, Stewardship & Sovereignty
GCILL is proud to co-organize WILD12, the 12th World Wilderness Congress, alongside The WILD Foundation and the Congress host: the Sicangu Lakota Oyate Treaty Council.
The Global Center for Indigenous Leadership and Lifeways (GCILL) supports projects that educate and inform people about Indigenous ways, raise human consciousness, and co-create a harmonious relationship with Mother Earth, with a core focus of sharing the messages of Elders and wisdom keepers.
At the invitation of the Oceti Sakowin, the traditional leadership of the Lakota Nation, the 12th World Wilderness Congress, WILD12, will take place August 25-31, 2024, near the Black Hills, at The Monument in Rapid City, South Dakota. The theme of the meeting is the Sovereign Wild, placing the values, rights, and kinship practices of Indigenous Peoples at the center. GCILL has been invited to co-organize the event to elevate Indigenous voices and share the messages of Indigenous Elders and wisdom keepers.
As a co-organizer of WILD12, all of our efforts are in coordination with local Lakota Elders to respect the local traditions and customs. GCILL is an organization committed to raising Indigenous voices and supporting Indigenous Elders and wisdom keepers. We work with Indigenous Peoples around the world, and we always support Elders financially for any time that they spend planning or sharing because we greatly value the wisdom that they hold and their leadership. Your contributions will directly support Indigenous participation in WILD12.
Close to 80% of Earth’s remaining biodiversity are in traditional Indigenous cultural areas as well as nearly 40% of the wildlands. More than 1/3 of all remaining intact wild areas are stewarded by Indigenous and local people.
WILD12 is an environmental decision-making platform open to all members of civil society to build a global community for the protection of lands, waters and peoples. This community is for people from all sectors – business, the arts and sciences, activism, Indigenous Peoples, students, and more – to sit at the table with government actors and come to shared understandings of both the problems we confront and the coordinated actions we can and must take. The event is seven days long and will be attended by roughly 1,500 participants from 80 countries. Indigenous People’s and their leadership has been present at each Congress since inception in the 1970s, but never centered as it will be at WILD12, with an Indigenous hosting organization.
Desired Conference Outcomes
WILD12 will feature Indigenous leadership in its plenaries, global Indigenous sessions, Indigenous knowledge exchange, and ceremonies & exhibitions.
GCILL is seeking matched funding to bring Indigenous leaders to WILD12.
As a co-organizer of WILD12, all of our efforts are in coordination with Lakota Elders to respect the local traditions and customs. GCILL is an organization committed to raising Indigenous voices and supporting Elders and wisdom keepers. We work with IPs around the world, and we always support participants financially for any time that they spend planning or sharing. Your contributions will directly support Indigenous presence and participation at WILD12.
GCILL is committed to helping a minimum of 15 Elders and wisdom keepers participate at WILD12. That said, we would like to support as many Indigenous delegates as possible.
Sponsorship of an Indigenous Elder/Wisdom Keeper is $4,000 and covers transportation, lodging, and honorariums for the week long conference.
If you are interested in sponsoring one of our Indigenous delegates, please contact us.