On October 14-15, 2024, Mni Ki Wakan (Water is Sacred) (“MKW”) Co-conveners, Cultural Survival, Indigenous Peoples’ Rights International, Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, UMN-Twin Cities-American Indian Studies Department, and partners are convening the Mni Ki Wakan Summit, themed, “Confluence of Rising Currents: Indigenous Water Justice, Co-Governance, & Indigenous Youth Leadership.” The MKW Summit will take place in the ancestral and traditional territory of the Dakota people, Mniśota Makoce, The Land of Misty & Foggy Waters. Also known as Minnesota, The Land of 10,000 Lakes.
After nearly a decade of water programming, the Indigenous Water Decade (IWD) that was initially announced at United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2016 has given rise to the MKW Indigenous Water Justice Initiative based on the collective calls to action and recommendations of hundreds of past MKW Summit participants and partners who saw a need for a sustained organization dedicated to advancing Indigenous water justice for future generations & all life. This year’s Mni Ki Wakan Summit will bring together Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Youth, Tribal water and environmental departments, Indigenous environmental water organizations, and allies. Sessions will cover dynamic Indigenous water initiatives from the international to grassroots level. Participants will learn about how other Indigenous Peoples are addressing escalating environmental water issues, build critical connections, and tap into opportunities for water collaboration.
Registration for the MKW Summit is now open and is free. Go to mnikiwakan.org to register. Register soon. Find Mni Ki Wakan on social media (Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram): @mnikiwakan
