LIVING ROOTS FOUNDATION
Objectives
Aligned with Human Rights Council resolution 52/22, the side event will:
-
Showcase Meghalaya's participatory governance models, where bottom-up approaches at the village level steward nature-based solutions for climate change.
-
Create dialogue between indigenous custodians, policy-makers, academic experts, and delegates of the Forum.
-
Highlight the universal value of Living Root Bridges as heritage-informed ecological engineering.
-
Mobilise commitments for technical cooperation, capacity-building and multi-stakeholder alliances to scale community-government partnerships.
What can we learn from indigenous communities working for climate action?
What if the most innovative climate solutions aren’t found in technical policy forums, but in centuries-old practices that blend governance, ecology, and culture?
In Meghalaya, communities decide together how to protect sacred groves, nurture living root bridges, and manage water springs.
Their time-tested, community-led models embody climate democracy: every voice shapes resilient, low-carbon futures.
The Story of Our Lands
Walk through the living corridors of Meghalaya's forests and you’ll see more than trees — you’ll see governance woven into every leaf.
These practices stem from deep respect for the earth and each other, forming a resilient tapestry of rules, rituals, and shared stewardship.
Why Meghalaya Matters
Tucked between Bhutan and Bangladesh, Meghalaya is home to the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo tribes, whose traditional institutions manage forests, water and land tenure.
Here, state–community partnerships have delivered measurable ecological and social gains—rooted in local stewardship and shared governance.
On the sidelines of the United Nations Forum in Geneva
Join us in Geneva on the sidelines of the Fifth Session of the Forum on Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law, which has been themed “Democracy and Climate Change: Focusing on Solutions”.
This gathering showcases Meghalaya’s community-driven climate innovations, fosters global backing for participatory governance and the integration of indigenous knowledge into resilient climate action, and advocates for inscribing the Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
Join the dialogue
Be part of a pioneering exchange where ancestral wisdom meets democratic governance.
Register your interest to receive venue confirmation, detailed agenda and preparatory materials.
For any inquiries regarding the event, kindly contact engagements@centreforpolicy.org.