Advancing global partnerships for decolonizing education and governance through the Institute of Peoples, Territories, and Pedagogies for Peace
(SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – January 23, 2025): The Institute of Peoples, Territories, and Pedagogies for Peace (IPTP), in collaboration with the Faculty of Cross-Cultural Studies (FCCS) at Algoma University, Anishnaabe community members from Bawating, Turtle Island and international allies, is leading a delegation to Colombia from January 22 to 31, 2025. This initiative, supported by the Embassy of Colombia in Bolivia, CorporCesar, and the Ethnic Commission for Peace and Defense of Territorial Rights, is dedicated to advancing the ongoing efforts in decolonizing education, environmental governance, and self-determination involving Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.
“This delegation represents the weaving together of years of collaboration, grounded in shared commitments to peoples’ diplomacy and environmental justice,” said Dr. Sheila Gruner, IPTP Director and FCCS professor at Algoma University. “By centring Anishinaabe and other Indigenous as well as Afro-descendant ways of knowing and governing over fragile ecosystems of planetary importance, we collectively work towards a more equitable and sustainable future.”
Delegates will engage with partners in Bogotá and La Sierra de Santa Marta, including people’s diplomacy processes that build on past exchanges emphasizing Indigenous governance protocols and spiritual-cultural lifeways. These exchanges include cultural and territorial leaders and knowledge holders – both Indigenous and Afro-descendant, as well as environmental and academic institutions, allies, and community organizations, among others.
The delegation will also participate in the inaugural Interethnic Environmental Forum of Cesar (FAIC), co-hosted by the IPTP, CorporCesar and Algoma University, aimed at fostering dialogue on governance, biodiversity protection, the role of women in biodiversity protection and climate resilience.
“This is a profound opportunity to strengthen alliances through intercultural collaboration,” said Dr. Vivian Jiménez-Estrada, Chair of Algoma University’s Sociology Department. “Women’s leadership and community-centred approaches are vital to these efforts.”
Building on foundations laid prior to 2022, the delegation continues to amplify voices advocating for self-determination and environmental justice. A key outcome of the visit will be establishing a regional and global alliance for biodiversity protection and sustainable governance, reflecting the shared aspirations of communities in Colombia, Canada, Bolivia, and beyond.
This initiative embodies Algoma University’s commitment to reconciliation and global solidarity by honouring diverse knowledge systems and strengthening partnerships.
See the event poster here.
About the Institute of Peoples, Territories, and Pedagogies for Peace
The Institute of Peoples, Territories, and Pedagogies for Peace (IPTP) is a non-governmental, non-partisan organization that sets out to foster decolonizing, intercultural dialogue, educational and diplomacy efforts across territorial, regional, national, and international organizations and grassroots movements in Colombia, Canada, Bolivia and is expanding its scope to include South Africa, Ghana, and Senegal. To learn more about the IPTP, please visit their website.
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