Indigenous peoples and local communities create Api-Api declaration at Asia Parks Congress

Asia Parks Congress, Sabah, Malaysia. 26-29 May, 2022

FPP was a co-convenor of the indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ forum at the Asia Parks Congress.

During the congress, summaries were prepared to combine and share the experiences and stories of indigenous peoples and local communities into a Declaration. The participants, facilitated by Gordon Thomas from PACOS and FPP, finalized and sent a powerful message not only to the whole of the Asia Parks Congress but also specifically addressed the World Parks Congress that will take place over the next 5 years.

The Api-Api Declaration (named for the pre-colonial name for the area in which Kota Kinabalu is built) was formally read to the Asia Parks Congress, is part of the proceedings and fed into a section of the overall Kinabalu Declaration (the main IUCN Congress declaration).

Read the full Api-Api declaration here

The declaration was notable for its reflections on emerging climate and Nature based Solutions markets and certification, and made clear recommendations about the on-going legacy issues of parks in the region, as well as on-going expansion without consent.

The Api-Api Declaration drafting committee then also proposed text to be incorporated into the Kinabalu Declaration (the main outcome of the overall congress) and a slightly shortened version was incorporated.