Logistical Note & Protocols for Participants


Dear Participants,
We are pleased to welcome you to the Historic Second Global Summit on Indigenous Peacebuilding, taking place on 25 & 26 April 2026 in New York City. Please find here some logistical note & protocols to help us guide one another in the two days of the Summit.

Venue of the Summit

New York City, close to JFK Airport and easily accessible via the subway. The site is surrounded by green spaces where participants may step outside, breathe fresh air, and enjoy moments of sunshine between sessions.

Online

Those who are unable to join us in person, we will send an online link. Please confirm your online participation by 31 March 2026. A separate link will be sent to those who confirm.

Inaugural & Closing Session of the Summit

The two-hour inaugural session will be livestreamed, 8.30 am to 10.30 am on 25th April morning.

Parking available

For those coming by cars, there is ample car parking spaces. Please let us know by 31 March if you need a place for parking.

Arrival & Registration of all participants.

Registration opens at 8:00 AM each day on 25 & 26 April 2026. Kindly register upon arrival to pick up your conference folder and bags which are handwoven by the Indigenous women survivors and have come all the way from Manipur. Big thank you to team Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network for making this possible. The team worked hard for the past 1 year to work with Indigenous women weavers to make "Lairik Khao" our Indigenous bags to carry scholarly materials made only in Manipur.

Weaving for Peace Exhibition

Alongside the Summit, participants are invited to visit the "Weaving for Peace" Exhibition, featuring traditional weavings from Guatemala, Papua New Guinea, Manipur, Bolivia, Nuba Mountain-Sudan and other socio-cultural regions of the world. These weavings reflect deep cultural traditions of resilience, beauty, and peace carried by Indigenous communities. Honor the work of the weavers by visiting the exhibition at the "Yellow Room" of the venue and picking up a weaving to take home with you.

Program Commencement

The Summit program will begin promptly at 8:30 AM and conclude by 5:30 PM on both days. Request all to be seated by 8.30 AM sharp to begin the program on time.

Meals at the Summit

  • Breakfast for those who arrive by 7.30 am. Please inform us by 31Marchif you are joining breakfast as we need to make special arrangements.
  • Lunch will be provided each day for all participants.
  • Tea/coffee/water/refreshments will also be available during the day.Tea and light refreshments in the morning and afternoon sessions.

Language Interpretation

To support inclusive participation, the Summit will provide simultaneous interpretation in three languages - English, French, and Spanish, with the generous support of DOCIP. Please bring your own headphones, devices (phone, laptop, chargers) etc. as translation will be done via zoom.

Video-recording and interviews at the Summit

With your free, prior and informed consent, we are recording the summit. A recording team will be with us for the two days and some of you will be interviewed during the Summit. We plan to produce a short film after the end of the Summit, and we thank you for your collaboration in advance for this. Kindly sign consent form given by media and communication coordinators.

Spaces for Rest, Reflection, and Rejuvenation

The Summit venue offers several welcoming spaces for participants to rest and restore. In addition to quiet rooms, the venue includes lounges, library spaces, and places for prayer, reflection, and healing. These spaces are available throughout the Summit for moments of calm and renewal.If you need any assistance during the Summit, please reach out to the volunteers/organizers, who will be available to support participants throughout the two days.

A Space for Renewal

We hope the Summit will be a time for you to set down your burdens and worries, even if only for a moment. This gathering is meant to be a place where you will meet committed leaders, Elders, women, and youth, and where ideas, experiences, and initiatives can be shared in a spirit of solidarity.Indigenous music, performances and ceremonies will accompany us at our sessions. May this be a space where conversations and connections help you return home filled with light, renewed spirit, and strengthened purpose in the shared journey of peacebuilding.

We look forward to welcoming you to our Second Historic Global Summit on Indigenous Peacebuilding. Thank you for being with us in this journey to heal people, for peace and planet.

Warm regards,
Summit Coordination Team

Ground Rules/Shared Understanding for the Second Global Summit on Indigenous Peacebuilding

Our work is centered on Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Knowledge, and Collective Respect & Understanding as follows:
  1. Indigenous Peoples Lead the Space
    The knowledge, experiences, and priorities of Indigenous Peoples guide the dialogue. All participants honor Indigenous leadership in framing problems, solutions, and pathways for action.
  2. Respect for Indigenous Knowledge Systems
    We recognize Indigenous knowledge as scientific, historical, spiritual, and experiential. All contributions are to be received with humility, respect, and non-appropriation.
  3. Listen Deeply Before Speaking
    Participants commit to listening fully, without interruption. We speak with intention and listen with attention.
  4. Speak from Lived Experience, Not Assumptions
    Contributions should be grounded in one's own experiences or verified knowledge, avoiding generalizations or assumptions about any community.
  5. Cultural Safety and Sensitivity
    Sacred stories, cultural teachings, and shared experiences are treated with care. Sensitive information is not to be shared outside the group without explicit consent.
  6. Non-Hierarchy in Engagement
    All Indigenous participants-elders, leaders, youth, women, knowledge keepers-are valued equally. No voice is above another in co-creation.
  7. Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and Permission
    Participants always seek consent before quoting, recording, sharing materials, or referencing Indigenous teachings.
  8. No Extraction of Knowledge
    Knowledge shared here is for collective benefit and the building of peace, not for extraction, so please take care to honor this.
  9. Hold the Space with Kindness and Patience
    Differences in cultural rhythms, communication styles, and spiritual protocols are honored. We slow down where necessary. Bring a good heart to the Summit. We all co-create, collaborate, co-exist

Guidelines for Observers

  1. Observers Are Welcome but Do Not Direct the Discussion
    Observers may listen, learn, and offer reflections only when invited or during designated sharing moments.
  2. Contributions Should Support, Not Override
    Any observer input must uplift Indigenous voices-not redirect or dominate the conversation.
  3. Respect Confidentiality and Protocols
    Observers follow all cultural and confidentiality guidelines with the same seriousness as participants.
  4. No Extractive Notetaking or Use of Shared Knowledge
    Observers must not use or publish insights without explicit permission from Indigenous participants. FPIC must be always followed during the co-creation sessions.
  5. Center Humility
    Observers approach the session as learners and supporters, acknowledging the expertise of Indigenous Peoples.

Shared Guiding Principles include:

  • Respect & Reciprocity: Honoring each voice, story, and knowledge tradition
  • Co-Creation & Shared Ownership: Building the Summit collectively with equal participation
  • Centered on Indigenous Knowledge Systems
  • Transparency & Trust-Building
  • Inclusivity Across Regions, Ages & Experiences
  • Action-Orientation & Practical Outcomes