ILED Network Online Newsletter: October 2024

A new way to keep up with the ILED Network

Welcome to our new ILED Network online newsletter! This is our way of sharing our members’ contributions to our network’s mission with ILED friends and followers.

In each edition, we provide updates on our small grants program, youth fellows, exchanges, upcoming public meetings, and our latest campaigns, publications, and reports. In this edition, you will find three sections:

  • Looking Back: Events from the past months
  • Looking Forward: Upcoming activities
  • On the Ground: Updates from members

Looking Back: Events from the past months

Network meetings

Over the past few months, our network has held multiple online meetings and one in-person meeting. In June, we hosted our annual members’ meeting, where the Secretariat provided key updates to members, we discussed our network’s governance structure, and two members showcased their latest projects (see more about these in the third section, “On the Ground”). During July, governance meetings continued, and in August, there was an in-person women’s meeting in Colombia titled “Collective Care: Gestation, Birth, and Newborns.” In October, a follow-up online meeting was held to discuss the endogenous research projects that stemmed from this recent exchange.

The “Indigenous Women Educators” ILED awards and campaign

On September 5th, International Day of Indigenous Women, we launched the #IndigenousWomenEducators campaign to celebrate these remarkable knowledge keepers and their contributions. Over the past year, our network has highlighted the vital role Indigenous women play in education, culminating in the creation of an award with a €1,000 prize and a commemorative token, to be presented in their communities during ceremonies. The winners, selected through nominations reviewed by network partners and regional facilitators, are also featured in an online campaign. You can check it out on our Instagram or read about it in our booklet, which compiles their stories and achievements.

Two years since our report: Pass it on!

Two years later, we invite you to read our first-ever, inspiring, network-wide report: “Stories of Indigenous-Led Education from the Grassroots” — available in both English and Spanish.

Looking Forward: Upcoming activities

Upcoming network webinar on Indigenous curriculums and educational materials

We are pleased to announce our upcoming Network Members’ Meeting in November, centered on the theme of “Curriculum and Indigenous Education.” This meeting builds on our recent governance discussions and is designed to provide an open space for Indigenous partners to share and exchange ideas, experiences, and practices in Indigenous education. We look forward to deepening our collective understanding and exploring pathways to strengthen Indigenous-led approaches in curriculum development.

In-person exchanges in Africa and Asia

The ILED Network will host two gatherings in Kenya and India during November and December, fostering connections and knowledge-sharing among Indigenous communities. In Kenya, Sengwer and Ogiek women will come together to focus on traditional ecological practices, while in India, a workshop led by the Keystone Foundation will unite educators and researchers to strengthen efforts in Adivasi language revitalization.

On the Ground: Updates from members

Videos from our members

The ILED Team at Keystone Foundation (India) showcases their work on the International Day of Indigenous Peoples.

FECONAU (Peru) Small Grant Project: Revitalizing Medicinal Plant Knowledge

SPNKK (Philippines) Mobile Forest School

New podcast episodes

Hear the work that our ILED Youth Fellows are developing in Kenya, Costa Rica, and Panama by visiting our Spotify. You can also find subtitled versions of the episodes on our YouTube channel.

Thank you for being part of our journey! Ready to make an impact? Here’s how you can get involved:

  1. Follow us on our social media @ILEDNetwork to keep up with our updates.
  2. Email us at iledsecretariat@rutufoundation.org if you are interested in donating or collaborating with our network.
  3. Complete this Google Form if you would like to join our network.

Stay tuned for next month’s issue, where we’ll dive into our webinar on Indigenous curricula and share our annual report.

Warm regards,
The ILED Network Members.