During our Shandia Forum 2025, held within the framework of COP30 in Belém, we witnessed a historic moment. While governments and international partners announced new commitments to protect 160 million hectares of land and mobilize $1.8 billion in climate finance, we Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities took an even bolder step.

Inspired by these announcements, and fully aware that promises only have value when they reach our territories, we presented our own global commitment: The Peoples’ Pledge, a declaration that turns words into action and reaffirms that we are the ones who ensure that resources, policies, and solutions truly reach the communities that safeguard the planet’s most vital ecosystems.

Photos: @kefasmatos

We invite you to read The Peoples’ Pledge, a call to advance direct and fair territorial finance grounded in our own systems of governance and our commitment to continue protecting life and all our ecosystems: