The Learning Exchange 2022 brought together more than 150 people each day and featured regional sessions for Latin America, Africa, and Asia. It allowed for different actors to talk about how they have been securing tenure in their local contexts.

The discussions took place only a few months after 11 countries and the European Union agreed a $12 billion “Global Forest Finance Pledge”, part of which will be used for clarifying land tenure and forest rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. A group of these countries also joined with private foundations to pledge an initial $1.7 billion of financing through 2025. This fund will support the advancement of Indigenous Peoples’ tenure rights and provide greater recognition and rewards for their role as guardians of forests and nature.

Overall, the Learning Exchange underscored the importance of tenure as the bedrock for Indigenous Peoples and local communities to ensure their self determination. Participants agreed that security of tenure comes from strong governance, effective dispute resolution, monitoring, legal defence, natural resource management, and sustainable livelihoods.