“Indigenous Peoples are essential stewards of many of the world’s primary forests, helping sustain some of the richest biodiversity areas on the planet through knowledge passed down over generations," said @DiegoMesaP, GEF CEO and Chairperson. "Today we recognise six of these leaders, several of whom the GEF has had the privilege of working alongside in their territories. Their leadership offers important lessons, and we look forward to continuing to learn from it across all our work." At #COP17Armenia, the first cohort of Indigenous Peoples Ambassadors for Primary Forests were recognized through a joint initiative between @IUCN, @theGEF and #UNFF. The six selected Ambassadors were celebrated for their extraordinary work protecting primary forest ecosystems. “Evidence has shown that securing Indigenous Peoples’ land rights and recognising and respecting traditional knowledge are among the most effective ways to protect forests and biodiversity. Yet Indigenous-led conservation is about more than environmental results; it is about recognising rights, upholding dignity and delivering justice,” said Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General. 🔍 Read more about the ceremony and the Ambassadors here: lnkd.in/e-SgjcJB #PrimaryForests #COP17 #IndigenousLeadership #GEFatCBDCOP17