Our priorities

Our priorities include several strategic topics: Udege people and the Bikin river, Indigenous peoples in the Arctic, Indigenous Peoples and Environment, Indigenous solidarity, Human rights advocacy, Financial sustainability of indigenous communities

Udege people and the Bikin river

• Udege language revitalization
• Preservation of Udege culture and traditional knowledge
• Support of the Udege people traditional economy including traditional hunting, fishing and gathering as well as new economic activities including sustainable environmental tourism
• Support of Udege youth and women including their project initiatives and experience exchange with relevant stakeholders
• Support of the Udege traditional rights on lands, natural resources, and self-determination
• Preservation of forest, lands and waters in the Bikin River region and in other territories where Udege people live

Indigenous peoples in the Arctic

• Cooperation development with the Arctic region indigenous organizations on self-governance issues, socio-economic development, adaptation and resilience, land rights and access to resources, benefit-sharing, and negotiations;
• Joint research with academic institutions on indigenous peoples’ rights, climate change, sustainable development, and other relevant issues;
• Partnership with the Arctic Council and its working groups on the development of indigenous peoples;
• Analytical work and monitoring of the indigenous rights under the Arctic Council activity.

Indigenous Peoples and Environment

• International cooperation and exchange between indigenous peoples facing national parks creation on their traditional lands;
• Supporting and consulting Udege people on their engagement for the co-management of the Bikin national park as the first and pilot project in Russia to fulfill the indigenous peoples’ rights;
• Assistance for communities’ development programs and project implementation on nature protection, climate change adaptation and resilience, green economy development, and environmental monitoring;
• Consulting indigenous peoples under the negotiations with authorities and private sector on the ongoing or planning commercial projects on traditional lands.

Indigenous solidarity

• Exchange arrangement between indigenous communities on the issues of culture, sport, youth, environment, and biodiversity.
• Training, seminars and international exchange programs, between indigenous peoples of the US, Russia and other countries
• Support indigenous peoples’ participation in international events on human rights, environment, climate change, and other relevant topics
• Participation in global and international meetings to develop recommendations on indigenous rights, traditional livelihoods, traditional knowledge, and languages.
• Expert meetings with broad involvement of academia and traditional knowledge holders for elaborating recommendations for international human rights bodies and other relevant organizations including the UN, and Arctic Council

Human rights advocacy

• Advocacy and support to indigenous human rights defenders and leaders on risks from repression and harassment of authorities, military forces, and business;
• Conducting training seminars for representatives of indigenous peoples to protect their rights.
• Preparing reports on indigenous rights violations

Financial sustainability of indigenous communities

• Providing the financial sustainability for indigenous communities through elaboration of new financial instruments using the new IT solutions
• Global fundraising for indigenous sustainable development initiatives
• Education of indigenous leaders in financial management and fundraising