The Forests & Communities Initiative welcomes a new partner: the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity

On the occasion of the Awards Ceremony for Planetary Health held on 25th November, the Forests and Communities Initiative, launched by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation in May 2022, in collaboration with the World Commission on Environmental Law of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the International Ranger Federation and the Global Forest Coalition, welcomed a new partner: the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity.

The signing of the partnership agreement took place in the presence of H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, Mr. Olivier Wenden, CEO and Vice-President of the Foundation, Ms. Monica Alvarez Malvido, Development Officer of the International Federation of Rangers, and Dr. Simone Lovera, Executive Director of the Global Forest Coalition.

"Forests and Communities" aims to support the conservation of forest ecosystems through the actions of indigenous peoples and local communities. Respecting traditional knowledge and taking into account the pre-existing functions and needs is one of the keys to successful conservation.

Partners

IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law

The IUCN World Commission on Environmental Law's mission is to ensure, through environmental law, the assessment, conservation, restoration and sustainable use of nature through transformations in the legal, political, technological, social, financial and economic sectors.

Global Forest Coalition (GFC)

The Global Forest Coalition (GFC) is an international coalition of NGOs and indigenous peoples' organisations advocating for social justice and forest peoples' rights in forest policy. The GFC's mission is to monitor and restore forest ecosystems and traditional knowledge, in order to defend and promote respect for the rights and territories of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

International Ranger Federation (IRF)

The International Ranger Federation (IRF) is the representative body of rangers and ranger associations worldwide. The mission of the Federation is to develop, advance and promote in the global community the profession of Ranger and its essential role in the conservation of natural and cultural resources.

International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB)

The IIFB is a collection of representatives from indigenous governments, indigenous non- governmental organizations and indigenous scholars and activists that organize around the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other important international environmental meetings to help coordinate indigenous strategies at these meetings, provide advice to the government parties, and influence the interpretation of government obligations to recognize and respect indigenous rights to the knowledge and resources.