Viktor Sebek
In July 2025, the Forum "The Value of Ancestral Wisdom for Environmental Protection" will take place in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia — a global gathering that will bring together indigenous leaders, Afro-descendant communities, and youth to share ancestral knowledge for environmental protection.
The event will be held at the Centro de Formación de la Cooperación Española in Cartagena de Indias, an iconic venue located within the Santo Domingo Convent.
Organized by the South-South Cooperation Council in collaboration with UNESCO, Sparks Finance Group, OptiCloud, and other strategic partners, the Forum will feature five thematic panels addressing topics ranging from sustainability and biocultural heritage to the contemporary environmental and spiritual crisis. The event will include the participation of indigenous leaders from the Amazon and the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Afro-Colombian authorities from San Basilio de Palenque, academics, young leaders, and representatives of civil society. The Forum is expected to adopt the Cartagena Resolution, which will lay the foundation for future editions, including the next Forum in Manila in 2026, during the Philippines' chairmanship of ASEAN. This programme aims to build a lasting platform for intercultural dialogue and collective action inspired by ancestral wisdom.
