June 30, 2026
RAROTONGA, COOK ISLANDS (08.00AM, TUESDAY 30 June 2026) — Indigenous leaders, traditional authorities, conservation practitioners, and youth representatives from across the Pacific have gathered in Rarotonga for a flagship Pacific Inclusive Conservation Learning Exchange focused on the critical role of traditional governance and community leadership in protecting nature and strengthening climate resilience.
Convened by Conservation International, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and Ui Ariki Ngateitei o te Kuki Airani (UANKA), the Exchange provides a culturally grounded platform for Indigenous leaders to engage in dialogue on conservation, governance, climate resilience, and sustainable financing.
Leausalilo Schannel van Dijken, Senior Director of Marine and Heritage at Conservation International said: "The Pacific is connected not only by the ocean, but by generations of knowledge, stewardship and responsibility passed from one generation to the next. This Exchange honors this responsibility, building on work already underway in communities, from co-designed education approaches and youth learning to marine citizen science and locally-led conservation pilots. It reminds us that Indigenous knowledge and customary governance are not separate from conservation; they are among its strongest foundations.By bringing traditional leaders together from across the region, this Exchange strengthens the relationships, learning and collective action needed to support resilient communities and healthy ecosystems for generations to come."
The Exchange will explore key themes that link community practice with regional action, including sustainable financing for community-led conservation, customary land and marine governance, protected and conserved areas, traditional management systems such as Rāhui, youth leadership and environmental education, and climate resilience and adaptation.
Held alongside the 60th Anniversary of the Cook Islands House of Ariki, the Exchange brings together participants from the Cook Islands, Aotearoa New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand and Vanuatu to share experiences, strengthen regional cooperation, and explore solutions for Indigenous-led conservation. In additional to traditional leaders, participants include women and youth, including four Indigenous participants from the Inclusive Conservation Initiative (ICI) International Policy Fellows program. These Fellows, representing Thailand, Fiji and the Cook Islands, are contributing their perspectives on Indigenous youth leadership, community-based conservation and intergenerational knowledge. Together, they represent a diverse but connected voice.
Puna Rakanui, Secretary general of UANKA Inc. "For the Cook Islands, it is an honour to welcome Indigenous leaders from across the Pacific during this significant year marking the 60th anniversary of the House of Ariki. Our ancestors understood that the wellbeing of our people is inseparable from the wellbeing of our environment. Traditional leadership carries the responsibility of caring for both. By sharing our experiences and learning from one another, we strengthen the wisdom, values and partnerships needed to ensure future generations inherit healthy ecosystems, strong cultures and thriving communities."
The Exchange is a part of a growing movement in the Cook Islands and the Pacific to strengthen culturally grounded approaches that connect traditional knowledge, education and environmental stewardship.
This builds on the Kura Tapu Manifesto (2025 National Education Symposium), developed in 2025 through a collaborative process led by the Ui Ariki and Aronga Mana, which established a shared vision for education that reflects Cook Islands identity, values and responsibility to the environment.
This was followed by a national co-design workshop in March 2026 bringing together teachers, Ministry of Education, educators, traditional leaders, practitioners and knowledge holders to develop culture and nature-based education modules and marine citizen science programs that integrate traditional knowledge and modern science. These learning and monitoring pilots currently being rolled out this year in the three islands of Atiu, Mauke, and Mangaia, are already demonstrating how Indigenous knowledge and modern science can work together to prepare future generations as guardians of nature.
Roko Sau, Paramount Chief of Totoya in Fiji's Lau Islands "Pacific peoples share values of respect, reciprocity and stewardship that have guided the care of our lands and seas for generations. The knowledge passed down through our communities has helped sustain fisheries, protect important ecosystems and build resilience to storms, droughts and other climate impacts. As many young people spend more time away from their traditional lands and waters, gatherings like this play an important role in keeping that knowledge alive. By sharing experiences and learning from one another, we can strengthen Indigenous leadership and ensure our communities, cultures and environments continue to thrive in a changing climate."
The Pacific Inclusive Conservation Learning Exchange is supported through the Global Environment Facility Inclusive Conservation Initiative, New Zealand's Manaaki Fund, and EU funded COLORS project.
The Exchange is expected to amplify and scale locally led efforts, strengthen regional collaboration and shared advocacy, and catalyse practical next steps that extend well beyond the gathering itself.
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About Conservation International: Conservation International protects nature for the benefit of humanity. Through science, policy, fieldwork and finance, we spotlight and secure the most important places in nature for the climate, for biodiversity and for people. With offices in 30 countries and projects in more than 100 countries, Conservation International partners with governments, companies, civil society, Indigenous peoples and local communities to help people and nature thrive together. Visit Conservation.org for more, and follow us on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.