This act supports the protection, revitalization, and intergenerational transmission of Indigenous knowledge systems, languages, and cultural practices through community-led programs, legal safeguards, and global partnerships.
Description:
Community-Led Knowledge Preservation Programs:
Fund Indigenous-led initiatives to document, record, and transmit oral histories, land stewardship practices, spiritual traditions, medicinal knowledge, crafts, and ecological wisdom using culturally appropriate and secure methods.
Indigenous Language Revitalization:
Support language preservation through bilingual education programs, digital archives, intergenerational language nests, and inclusion of Indigenous languages in public signage, media, and governance.
Legal Protection of Intellectual and Cultural Property:
Establish legal frameworks to protect Indigenous knowledge from unauthorized use, exploitation, or appropriation. Ensure prior informed consent and equitable benefit-sharing in any research, commercial, or conservation partnerships.
Elders and Youth Knowledge Exchange Programs:
Provide stipends, spaces, and support for elders to mentor youth in cultural practices, storytelling, traditional governance, and sustainable living systems.
Integration into National Education and Policy:
Incorporate Indigenous knowledge into school curricula, climate adaptation strategies, public health systems, and land-use planning. Recognize its value in biodiversity protection, disaster preparedness, and holistic well-being.
Digital Tools and Knowledge Sovereignty:
Invest in Indigenous-controlled digital platforms for knowledge storage and sharing. Support data sovereignty and ensure communities maintain control over access and usage rights.
Global Indigenous Knowledge Fund:
Create a sustained international funding mechanism, with contributions from governments and philanthropic organizations, to support long-term knowledge preservation projects and community capacity-building.
Monitoring, Ethics, and International Cooperation:
Establish a global ethics board led by Indigenous representatives to guide research, data use, and partnerships. Promote cross-cultural exchange while upholding Indigenous autonomy and values.
Possible Outcomes and Implications:
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