Metis National Council

Purpose

This project aims to enhance the climate resilience of Indigenous peoples in Colombia and Zambia using an Indigenous-to-Indigenous approach in collaboration with Métis in Canada. It seeks to reduce poverty by safeguarding the livelihoods and resources that Indigenous peoples and their communities depend on. The project fosters the co-creation of climate adaptation strategies that are culturally relevant, locally grounded, and deeply connected to the identities of the nations and peoples involved. It also aims to support gender equality and on-site learning in partnerships with Indigenous organizations in Canada, such as VIDEA and Indigenous Clean Energy. The project seeks to foster knowledge exchanges between Indigenous peoples from Colombia, Zambia and the Métis Nation in Canada. This enables them to highlight community-based climate projects in sustainable resource management and renewable energy, emphasizing resilience strategies and the use of Indigenous knowledge. The project supports Canada’s commitment in implementing the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples. Project activities include: (1) conducting 2-week knowledge exchanges between Indigenous participants in Colombia, Zambia, and across the Métis Nation, including workshops, site visits, and cultural activities; (2) designing exchanges to facilitate mutual understanding of climate resilience strategies, Indigenous knowledge, and sustainable practices, particularly through storytelling; and (3) providing hands-on lessons on Indigenous approaches to land stewardship, sustainable resource management, and community-based climate adaptation.