The purpose of restoring balance is to ensure an abundant future for the next seven generations.
Restoring Balance Collaborative (Collaborative) is dedicated to advancing Indigenous-led systems transformation to meaningfully address critical responses to climate challenges and their health impacts. The concept of restoring balance is rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing and living.
Growing community is like growing corn–it requires time, nurturing (relationship building), cultivation (trust building), and abundant sharing (reciprocity) for all to benefit.
Our goal is to meaningfully engage Indigenous leaders in a shared learning agenda to increase global recognition of Indigenous self-determination and knowledge systems as foundational elements to both human and environmental wellness and resilience. Together, we explored the following questions within the context of Indigenous knowledge systems, including our connection with the land and all living things as determinants of health and well-being.
- What factors support, enable, and reinforce Indigenous knowledge systems globally?
- What opportunities are there to support current capacity strengths internationally?
- Is there value in multidirectional learning among Indigenous peoples globally?
- How could a global, multi-sector, Indigenous collaborative support current efforts?
“When we speak all together, we are more powerful. Future Generations will benefit.” - Collaborative member.
Collaborative activities are systematically designed to uphold the value of Indigenous knowledge systems as the bedrock for collective leadership sustained from generation to generation.
By uplifting Indigenous agency to lead systems change at the local level, we raise awareness and inspire people to change in a way that ripples out beyond our local community and contexts to surrounding and distant ones, ultimately leading to systems change.
Most modern threats to climate are due to human actions. However, climate solutions rarely focus on changing the systems that perpetuate the values, perceptions and behaviors that contribute to the problem. We believe that to create meaningful change, we need to work towards change at three levels. We do this by:
Uplifting Indigenous Agency
Building the will, motivation and capacity amongst the Collaborative to enact systems change based on Indigenous values.
Igniting Global Connection
Amplifying Indigenous voices and solutions, reinforcing Indigenous worldviews, values, and practices focused on intergenerational impact.
Sharing + Learning Together
Increasing awareness and understanding of what needs to change; inspiring the Collaborative and others to enact change; and building commitment to change.
Collaborative activities include:
- Growing a practice community of land and water stewards to facilitate collective impact towards our shared vision.
- Convening A Meeting of Sacred Waters, a global gathering of Indigenous voices to reclaim the health of the world’s water sources. gatherings across the globe.
- Developing leadership and supporting Indigenous-led systems change projects through training and small grants to stewards.
- Preparing emerging leaders advancing community-based stewardship efforts.
- Building narrative power through creative storytelling, multimedia narratives, and practice briefs to influence policies and mindsets.
- Creating ethical, intercultural learning spaces through webinars, virtual roundtables, and relational convenings.