Katelynne Herchak Experience at the COP25

By Katelynne Herchak, UNA-Canada Service Corps delegate Having the privilege to attend COP25 is something I’ll never forget; sharing time and space with Indigenous people come from all around the world was powerful.

COP did challenge me to think critically and strategically of who is in the room and why, as well as what is the impact I have in these spaces? I do think the beauty of COP is that it brings people together to learn and share with one another. During my time at COP I followed the Indigenous People’s Caucus, there was collective a message that merged from the Indigenous People’s Caucus was that “People from the land need to be protected in order to protect the land.” This is important because a lot of Indigenous communities around the world have been impacted by ongoing violence on their territories. As well as, I did attend a panel where it was highlighted the correlation between Indigenous sovereign land and the preservation of biodiversity in comparison to governmental ran lands and the lack of preservation. In order to mitigate the effects of Climate Change, Indigenous knowledge has to be incorporated into all levels of decision making. It was incredible to witness the strength, resilience and knowledge that our Indigenous leaders hold, and how they worked together with one another and urged their governments to work in partnership with them. Finally, I am proud to have had the opportunity to share Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit with my newfound friends.

Qujannamiik,

Kate