Workshop: Indigenous visions of development and collective wellbeing in Arunachal Pradesh

In December 2023, representatives from 10 Indigenous communities across Arunachal Pradesh gathered in Roing, Lower Dibang Valley for a unique three-day workshop on "Indigenous visions of development and collective wellbeing in Arunachal Pradesh".

Organized by Kalpavriksh and Arunachali Indigenous youth, the circle brought together over 20 young Indigenous leaders and activists to openly discuss pressing issues like governance systems, land and forest rights, cultural preservation, food security, and sustainable development from their perspectives.

Through intimate conversations in Idu Mishmi territory, participants strengthened relationships across ethnic groups and identified priorities like defending community managed forests, implementing the Forest Rights Act, and advocating development centered on Indigenous worldviews rather than outside models.

The successful workshop filled an important gap by creating a rare space for Indigenous communities in Arunachal to collectively strategize for the future in the face of rapid changes to their lands and ways of life.