Joint Meeting, youth conference and Capacity-Building for the Asia Indigenous Youth Platform (AIYP) and Asia Young Indigenous Peoples Network (AYIPN) | General Assembly of AIYP
August 28-31, 2025 | Chiang Mai, Thailand
Keynote address by Joan Carling, IPRI
It is with deep honor and privilege for me to deliver this message to your historical gathering as Indigenous Youth in Asia. Your energy, courage, and determination as Indigenous youth fills me with hope. Hope that despite the multiple crises we face—climate change, land grabbing, criminalization, loss of cultures and languages— you and our indigenous brothers and sisters across Asia are fighting back and we shall continue to thrive.
The theme and objectives of this gathering resonate strongly with me: strengthening solidarity and coordination among Indigenous youth, building leadership, and working together in strategic collaboration. These are not just abstract goals—they are urgent necessities.
We, as Indigenous Peoples, are facing systemic challenges that threaten our very survival. Our lands and territories are under assault from mining, logging, dams, plantations, agribusiness, commercial tourism, conservation and energy projects imposed without our consent. Our defenders are criminalized, silenced, and even killed for protecting what is rightfully ours. Governments often ignore our rights, despite the commitments under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. In this context, the role of Indigenous youth is more vital than ever.
You, the Indigenous youth of Asia, are the future of our movement. But you are also the present—you are already leaders, innovators, defenders, and culture bearers. Many of you are at the frontlines of struggles in your communities, standing firm against injustice. Many of you are using your skills, creativity, and networks to amplify Indigenous voices in new and powerful ways.
Across the region, Indigenous youth are already at the forefront: in India, Karbi and Naga youth organized communities against a massive solar farm in Assam which resulted to the cancellation of funding; in Indonesia, youth joined elders in resisting a geothermal plant in Flores that threatened sacred lands which also led to the suspension of the project; in the Philippines, youth face harassment and red-tagging for defending ancestral lands from mining and dams; while in Nepal, Malaysia, Thailand and Bangladesh, youth are advancing language revitalization, asserting customary governance, and resisting land grabbing and evictions under restrictive conservation laws. These struggles show that you are not just preparing for leadership—you are already shaping it with courage and conviction together with elders, women and community members.
This gathering is a space to deepen that leadership and strengthen our unity. Solidarity is our greatest strength. No single community or organization alone can overcome the massive forces of exploitation, oppression and discrimination. But united—as Indigenous youth of Asia—you can amplify your voices, share your knowledge and coordinate strategies to protect our lands, strengthen our governance systems, and advance the rights and welfare of indigenous youth such as culturally sensitive education, decent jobs, sustainable livelihoods and strategic support for your holistic development to ensure intergenerational dignity, survival and wellbeing of Indigenous Peoples
Leadership, for us as Indigenous Peoples, is never about power over others. It is about responsibility, service, and advancing our collective well-being. Our ancestors led with humility, guided by values of reciprocity, respect, and selflessness. As Indigenous youth, your leadership must build on these values while adapting to the realities of today. Appropriate leadership development, capacity building and inter-learning are key to ensure that you can carry forward both our ancestral wisdom and the modern skills needed to confront today’s challenges.
Supporting Indigenous youth is not just about investing in your future—it is about ensuring the survival and sovereignty of all Indigenous Peoples. Without your active participation and leadership in our movements, our struggles for land, rights, and self-determination cannot succeed. Without your solidarity, our resilience will weaken.
As you come together in this gathering, I urge you to: embrace your identity with pride and confidence; Strengthen solidarity across communities and countries, recognizing that your struggles are interconnected; Sharpen your skills and capacities for organizing and mobilizing the indigenous youth and communities, for governance, responsible leadership, advocacy at all levels, communication, and innovation; and hold firm to our values of respect, humility, upholding the common good, accountable leadership, and collective responsibility.
The path ahead will not be easy. But remember this: our ancestors faced enormous challenges and yet they persevere in protecting our distinct ways of life as Indigenous Peoples in oneness with our lands, territories and resources as the material base of our identity, cultures, collective values and survival. Today, you are called to continue that legacy—with courage, with unity, and with vision.
together, let us expand, strengthen and weave the struggles and aspirations of our peoples into a powerful movement for justice and peace, for our lands, territories and resources, for our dignity and self-determination and for a better future for the generations to come. I wish you good energy and I look forward to learn more on the outcomes of your gathering. Thank you.
