Events and Workshops 

International ICCA workshops/events:

• The first ICCA Consortium's regional meeting in Mesoamerica, Costa Rica, March 17-27, 2013
• The Philippines establish the first national ICCA Consortium, Quezon City on 19 – 22 February 2013
• The Fourth ICCA Nepal National Gathering, Kathmandu, Nepal, 17 - 18 December 2012
• First National workshop on ICCAs in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa, 5-9 November 2012
• The ICCA Consortium at the Convention on Biological Diversity - Conference of the Parties no.11 (CBD COP -11), Hyderabad, India, 06-19 October 2012
• The ICCA Consortium at the Vth IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC), Jeju, South Korea, 6-15 September 2012
• Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, June 2012
• 13th Congress of the International Society for Ethnobiology, Montpellier, France, May 2012
• The Anja Declaration, Anja, Madagascar, May 2012

• The first National Conference on ICCAs in the Philippines, Philippines University, Quezon City, Philippines, 29-30 March 2012
• Third National Gathering of the Nepal’s Network of ICCAs, Kathmandu, Nepal, 22-24 December 2011
• Poster presentation: ‘Appropriate support for ICCAs’, COP-17 UNFCC, Durban, South Africa, 01 and 04 December, 2011
• Recognizing and Supporting ICCAs, Working Group on Article 8(j) meeting, November 2011
• ICCAs in Indonesia symposium, Bogor, Indonesia, October, 2011 
• Planning retreat for the ICCA Consortium, Bali, Indonesia, October, 2011
• Understanding community conservation in Europe workshop, Gerace, (Italy), September, 2011
• Community Governance and Stewardship of Traditional Territories and Biocultural Diversity', Geneva, Switzerland, July 2011
• IASC side-events, Hyderabad (India), January 2011
• International ICCA Workshop, Shirakawa (Japan), October, 2010
• ICCA Events at COP 10, Nagoya (Japan), October, 2010
• CBD SBSTTA, Nairobi, May 2010
• ICCA Workshop, 4th World Conservation Congress, 
• ICCA events, CBD COP 9, Bonn
• 2nd Meeting of CBD Working Group on Protected Areas, Rome, 08 February, 2008
• International ICCA workshop, Kastamonu (Turkey), October 2007

The Philippines establish the first national ICCA Consortium, Quezon City on 19 – 22 February, 2013

The ICCA Consortium in the Philippines was formally established during a three-day meeting among representatives of indigenous peoples from all over the country called for this purpose in Quezon City on 19 – 22 February 2013. Read more... 

The first ICCA Consortium's regional meeting in Mesoamerica, Costa Rica, March 17-27, 2013

The meeting gathered Consortium Members and colleagues from various countries across Mesoamerica and beyond. Read more...

The Fourth ICCA Nepal National Gathering, Kathmandu, Nepal, 17-18 December 2012 

Working towards an ICCA Federation in Nepal! To learn more about this momentous event for ICCAs in Nepal, read more... 

First National workshop on ICCAs in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa, 5-9 November 2012

'Recognising ICCAs in Central Africa — the Democratic Republic of Congo takes the first steps!' Read more...

ICCA Consortium at the Convention on Biological Diversity - Conference of the Parties no.11 (CBD COP -11), Hyderabad, India, 06-21 October 2012

For a description of Consortium and ICCA-related events at the COP, read more...

ICCA Consortium at the V^th IUCN World Conservation Congress (WCC), Jeju, South Korea, 6-15 September, 2012

For a description of Consortium events, read more... 

ICCA Consortium at Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio de Janeiro, 14-22 June 2012

For a description of the  Consortium's events and successes at Rio+20, read more...  

The Anja Declaration, Anja, Madagascar, May 2012 

The Network of the Fokonolona which manages natural Resources or TAFO MIHAAVO gathered together 482 Local communities in 17 Regions of Madagascar to create the Anja Declaration. Read more...

National Conference on ICCAs in the Philippines, Philippines University, Quezon City, Philippines, 29-30 March, 2012

The Conference brought together IP leaders from ancestral domains representing the country’s key biodiversity areas, government representatives, local and international NGOs, UN agencies, and cooperation agencies from numerous countries to discuss the critical role that IPs and their customary laws and traditional activities have played and do play in conserving a variety of natural environments in the Philippines.

Third National Gathering of the Nepal’s Network of ICCAs, Kathmandu, Nepal, 22-24 December 2011

A total of 47 participants including conservation experts, community leaders, rights activists, journalists and government officials were present in this gathering. The program had two major objectives: to discuss future directions and actions of ICCA-Network Nepal and to introduce and exercise the ICCA Resilience and Security Tool prepared by the ICCA Consortium. Read more about this gathering, prepared by Jailab Rai of Forest Action Nepal.  

Poster presentation: ‘Appropriate support for indigenous peoples and community conserved areas and territories’, presented at COP-17 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) Durban, South Africa, 01 and 04 December, 2011

On 01 December at the UNFCC COP-17 poster session and on 04 December at Forest Day 5 this poster was presented. It briefly describes the ICCA concept and highlights the relationship between ICCAs and forests. It also includes the outcomes of the participatory seminar ‘Do’s and don’ts of supporting forest conservation and restoration initiatives by local communities and indigenous peoples’, which took place on 29 November, 2011 at UNFCC COP-17 and organised by the Global Forest Coalition (Consortium Member). The seminar brought together representatives of indigenous peoples (IPs), peasant movements, women's movements and local communities (LCs) to voice and share their experiences and insights into the most appropriate, equitable and effective ways in which outsiders can support the initiatives of IPs and LCs to conserve and restore their forests and other ecosystems. The seminar also discussed successes and failures relating to schemes such as REDD+ of which participants gave recommendations and voiced their concerns. For a report of the seminar, click here to view the poster, click here.

The poster was co-produced by Vanessa Reid of the Consortium, Simone Lovera and Wally Menne of the Global Forest Coalition and Earl Paulo Diaz of NTFP-EP. 

ICCAs in Indonesia symposium, CIFOR headquarters, Bogor, Indonesia, 13-14 October, 2011

Over sixty people, from both Indonesia and across the world, gathered to hear and/or give presentations of case studies from an Indonesian and International context, concluding with an ICCA overview. The first of its kind, the symposium explored the status, concept, practice, limitations, and opportunities of ICCAs within Indonesia and brought to light crucial issues and challenges facing ICCA there. We hope the event will be a catalyst for establishing a strong ICCA Indonesian network, in which the Consortium is currently playing a role in facilitating with other Indonesian NGOs, IPOs, and LCOs. For a symposium proceedings report and other 'ICCAs in Indonesia' developments, read more...

Planning retreat for the ICCA Consortium, Bali, Indonesia, 05-11 October, 2011   

The planning retreat was a significant event for the institutional strengthening of the Consortium in 2011. For six days, without internet access, the newly recruited Regional Coordinators, along with the President, Treasurer, GC, SC members, representatives of Members and the Communication officer, gathered at the Prana Dewi retreat centre in Bali, Indonesia. The focus of the retreat was the compilation of regional work plans towards the broader Consortium objectives embedded in its Vision 2020 and work programme 2011-2014.  Matters of membership, Statutes, procedural guidelines, communication, funding, and Consortium’s participation at international events were also thoroughly fleshed out. For a detailed report of the retreat, read more... 

'Understanding community conservation in Europe' 5-day workshop, Gerace, Italy, 10 -16 September, 2011

This workshop highlighted European communities’ role in conservation, livelihoods and culture. About 50 participants from all over Europe convened in the beautiful Italian town of Gerace in Calabria, close to the Southern tip of Europe, to share, illustrate and discuss experiences on community conservation within Europe, many of which can be classified, in some capacity or another, as ICCAs. For more on the Gerace workshop, including links to videos, abstract of presented papers and quotes from participants, read more. 

'Community Governance and Stewardship of Traditional Territories and Biocultural Diversity', EMRIP, Geneva, Switzerland, July 2011

On 15 July, the final day of the 4th Session of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP), Natural Justice and the ICCA Consortium co-hosted a side event entitled, "Community Governance and Stewardship of Traditional Territories and Biocultural Diversity". Read more...

The International Association for the Study of the Commons (IASC) Conference, Hyderabad, India, January, 2011

A side event entitled 'The Commons and Indigenous and Community Conserved Areas' was held during this conference from 10.30-16.30 on 12 January, followed by a panel discussion from 16.30-18.00 on 14 January, entitled 'Forest Rights Act, Community Forest Rights & Management of Community Conserved Areas'. These two events were co-organised between Kalpavriksh (an ICCA Consortium member) and the ICCA Consortium, and was sponsored by FES (the Foundation for Ecological Security.) For a report of the key emerging issues from this side event and panel discussion, read more.

International ICCA Workshop, Shirakawa-Go Eco Institute, Japan, 28-30 October, 2010

In conjunction with the CBD COP-10, a multi-lingual three day workshop on ICCAs was held at the Shirakawa-Go Eco Institute (Japan). The workshop consisted of fifty-five participants, who ranged from: indigenous peoples and local communities, to NGOs and agencies working with them; members or affiliates of the ICCA Consortium; governments; cooperation agencies and international organisations. Despite their varied backgrounds, each attended the workshop in order to address their concern for the appropriate recognition and support to ICCAs.

The purpose of the workshop was to provide a focused opportunity for assessing the current state of ICCAs as well as relevant initiatives and resources that could build collective capacity for securing ICCAs’ future. It was anticipated that this gathering could generate a long-term process and actions necessary to support ICCAs and build capacities to respond to specific needs, especially with regards to decisions made at COP10.  Resulting from this, the workshop brought-up a range of key discussion topics, namely the challenges and opportunities that need to be met for ICCAs.  The workshop also laid out the framework for a collective ICCA vision.

For a full ‘Report of the Shirakawa ICCA Workshop' click here (4MB higher quality version)

Click here for 2.70 MB easier-download version of the report

ICCAs at COP 10 (Nagoya, October 2010)—some good news, some disappointments, some fresh worries... and much work ahead!

The tenth Conference of the Parties (COP 10) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in the second half of October 2010 in Nagoya (Japan) reaffirmed and strengthened the centrality of governance of protected areas and the recognition and support to ICCAs and sacred sites. The Conference discussed and approved a number of major policy documents, including an in-depth review of the implementation of the Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA), which will guide CBD work on... Read more 

Governance of protected areas and ICCAs highlighted at CBD SBSTTA, Nairobi, May, 2010

Governance of protected areas and ICCAs featured centrally in the discussion of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held during this meeting and are now importantly included in the recommendation to CBD COP-10. IUCN CEESP in cooperation with the ICCA Consortium and UNEP/WCMC organized two well-attended side events at SBSTTA on these very topics. READ MORE  

Recognizing and Supporting ICCAs Alliance Workshop at the Community Poble, 4th World Conservation Congress, Barcelona, October, 2008

The 3-hour workshop was organized by TGER and TILCEPA, in cooperation with the GEF Small Grants Programme, the UNDP Equator Initiative and GTZ. The objectives of the workshop were to review progress of knowledge, policy and practice in support of ICCAs, present and discuss lessons learned about the status, needs and opportunities of ICCAs in different parts of the world, and to discuss avenues to support ICCAs within and outside national Protected Areas systems… READ MORE...

9th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP9), Bonn, May, 2008

TGER/TILCEPA and partners organized a side event at CBD COP 9 entitled “ICCAs: from ‘oldest secret’ to crucial avenue for the conservation for biodiversity…” and provided participants with a space to discuss ICCAs and their potential to further the implementation of the CBD. After an introduction to the concept and history of ICCAs, speakers presented case studies from Italy, Iran and Peru; the national situation of ICCAs in India was described, as well as the significance of ICCAs for traditional fishing communities. The brief presentations were followed by an intense discussion among the roughly 150 participants, several among them representatives of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. The scope, diversity and challenges of ICCAs were explored, and the usefulness of the ICCA concept for securing community governance of natural resources was debated.

The ICCA side event was followed up by two smaller, ad-hoc meetings to discuss the concept of ICCAs and steps forward.

The first was an evening meeting among some participants of the side-event, where they had the occasion to deepen their exchange and share experiences and perspectives. The interventions from participants showed the vast range of realities on the ground. Participants stressed that the success or failure of ICCAs are intimately linked to the issue of rights of indigenous peoples and communities to their lands and resources. Several intervention from participants recounted how indigenous peoples and local communities were evicted from their territories and ICCAs as these were taken over by the state to create formal conservation areas. Overall, the discussion about the opportunities and challenges of ICCAs to implement the PoWPA will have to continue: this type of meetings will take place throughout this year, culminating at a ICCA workshop and exchange space at the Community Poble at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona.

The second meeting was an information exchange between TILCEPA and the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB). The concept of ICCAs was presented by Ashish Kothari and Grazia Borrini-Feyerabend, and the concept of Indigenous Biocultural territories was explained by Alejandro Argumedo. The discussion centred around whether indigenous territories and biocultural areas can fit under the ICCA concept and how the perspectives and conservation efforts of Indigenous Peoples and Local communities can best be recognized and supported within, or outside of, the IUCN framework of Protected Areas.

Second meeting of the CBD Working Group on Protected Areas, Rome, 08 February, 2008 

Over 50 participants from civil society organizations and government delegations came together at the WG PA-2 to discuss the concept of ICCAs in the light of implementation of the Program of Work on Protected Areas. After a brief introduction to the characteristics and variety of ICCAs and the history of the ICCA concept, participants mainly discussed experiences at local level and lessons learned.

Contributions from participants showed the multiple range of realities on the ground and stressed that issue of rights of indigenous peoples and communities and their lands and resources are inextricably linked to the success or failure of ICCAs.

There needs to be more debate about what kind of legal frameworks are appropriate for the recognition of ICCAs: these should be pluralistic systems that recognize and incorporate customary systems. Future reflections on ICCAs also need to take into account the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, in particular the rights of Indigenous Peoples over their territories.

During the meeting participants described how Indigenous Peoples and local communities were evicted from their ICCAs and territories by the state authorities in order to create formal conservation areas. International NGOs were called upon to join hands to develop systems of timely response to such human rights violations. Participants agreed on the need to pursue the discussion at further events, such as COP 9 of the CBD and the WCC in Barcelona.

'Strengthening Community Conserved Areas'—lessons, needs & recommendations for policy and practice: International Workshop, Kastamonu, Turkey, 1-5 October, 2007

This workshop was organized by TGER and TILCEPA in collaboration with the General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks of the Government of Turkey and the GEF Small Grants Programme. During the workshop, thirty conservation and development professionals reviewed the results of current research on the role of ICCAs, identified the challenges facing ICCAs, visited local ICCA cases, drew lessons learned and developed recommendations for policy at the local, national and international level. READ MORE…

Side reports from Newsletter Issue # 2

Kuna Yala, Kalahan, Romania, Pandora's Box