By Kavyanjali
Consultant, Wayanad
Kavyanjali (Community Resource Person), Monthish (People & Nature Collectives), Shiny (Biodiversity), Jestin (Aadhimalai) and Mathew (Director, Last Forest) attended the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum held at the Food and Agriculture Organisation Headquarters in Rome, Italy, from October 16 to 20. On the first day, Indigenous youth participants were divided into groups based on each region and their priorities for protecting food systems were discussed. The conversations proved that the crises experienced by communities from different parts of the world are very different. Each subsequent session offered new learnings and perspectives. Despite our differences, we were united by the need to protect traditional knowledge and Indigenous customs/rituals related to food. Every Indigenous youth had an equally heard voice in that spacead an equal place.
The forum also discussed climate change impacts on each community, experiences and observations, especially regarding food systems. As experiences were shared, many eyes were moist with tears. There was no hesitation or fear expressed in that one voice. The venue was awakened each day by prayers and rituals from various communities in each region. As a result, it became a place to showcase the diverse tribal cultures to everyone and celebrate them together as a whole. The sessions start with a greeting of ‘Dear Brothers and Sisters’. They say that this is a place where many siblings can be found. In this place, those who have ever been born in a tribal community are given an answer by those who have bowed their heads. The youth of tribal communities around the world presented their tribal customs to the world with pride. A place where I came across numerous brothers and sisters who successfully fought through numerous crises and oppressions without fatigue.
