COP30 in the Amazon was more than a global summit—it was a moment of reckoning. For the first time, the world gathered not only to speak about the Amazon, but within it, surrounded by the forests, rivers, and ancestral territories that hold the breath of our planet. This gathering showed us what is at stake with a clarity that can no longer be ignored.

COP30 in Belém, Brazil, offered many lessons—some hopeful, others sobering. For Indigenous peoples, it reaffirmed a truth we have long carried: recognition, respect, and responsibility must be more than aspirations. The summit showed that while global leaders increasingly speak of Indigenous wisdom, genuine inclusion remains a work in progress.

Our origin story is rooted in over a decade of weaving relationships, pilgrimages, and ceremonies across more than fifty Indigenous territories. The vision was received when one hundred and fifty traditional guardians from all over the Americas met in Santa Marta with the Kogis, Arhuacos, Kankuamos Kogui and Wiwa of the Sierra Nevada to consult Mother Earth about a way out of our polycrises.

Mindahi shares that love is a universal law in the Otomi Toltec tradition, and reciprocity guides how life is lived. He reflects on this moment of global transition and calls for restoring balance with the Earth through conscious action, regeneration, and ancestral wisdom. His teachings invite us to walk with humility and return to right-relationship with the living world.

Earlier this year, our Convenor Mindahi Bastida traveled to Rome for a series of meetings with the late Pope Francis, deepening dialogue around historic harms experienced by Indigenous peoples and the need for moral leadership. With the election of Pope Leo XIV, these conversations are continuing, reflecting an ongoing commitment to Indigenous ethics, Earth-care, and justice.

The Harmony Summit at Highgrove Gardens, convened in July 2025, marked a historic moment for our organisation and for the wider movement to restore right-relationship with the Earth. Hosted by King Charles and in partnership with The King’s Foundation, the gathering brought together Indigenous custodians, scientists, land stewards, cultural leaders, and regenerative practitioners in a shared spirit of listening, learning, and co-creation.