The Path Travelled Together: Voices, Memory, and Future
The 25th anniversary of the International Indigenous Women’s Forum (FIMI) marks a milestone to recognize the collective strength that has sustained a quarter-century of advocacy, organization, capacity building, and leadership. More than a celebration, it is also an opportunity to reflect together on the path we’ve taken and to envision the future of Indigenous Women globally.
The day of reflection, work, and celebration began with the opening panel The Path Travelled Together, a deeply symbolic space that brought together key voices in FIMI’s founding and consolidation. Moderated by Tania Pariona, the panel featured Tarcila Rivera Zea (Peru), Lucy Mulenkei (Kenya), Bernice See (Asia), Fay Blaney (Pacific), and Lea Nicholas-Mackenzie (Canada), all key figures in strengthening the regional and international networks that bring FIMI to life today.
Beyond a historical review, the gathering was an opportunity to highlight best practices, lessons learned, memories, challenges, and shared strategic priorities from an intergenerational perspective. It was a space for listening, mutual recognition, and reaffirming the commitment that unites Indigenous Women from all territories in the defense of rights, land, and life.
Rebuilding history through our own voices
Throughout the panel, leaders shared not only the milestones that shaped FIMI’s creation, but also the emotions, personal struggles, and collective decisions that made it possible. In the words of Tarcila Rivera Zea, “We weren’t born organized; we organized ourselves because it was necessary to become visible, heard, and respected in every space.”
Lucy Mulenkei recalled how the desire to raise Indigenous voices in international arenas began taking shape through meetings prior to the 1995 Beijing Conference. The need to create an autonomous, global space for Indigenous Women emerged not as an institutional strategy, but as an urgent act of political, cultural, and spiritual resistance. From the first meetings in New York to its official establishment in 2000, what is now FIMI was born of a shared conviction: no one should walk alone.
Bernice See and Fay Blaney emphasized that this journey has not been linear or easy. There were internal and external challenges: language barriers, political resistance, lack of resources, invisibility. But there were also tools: solidarity across regions, collective learning, the ability to adapt without losing our roots. “Each step was a negotiation, but also an affirmation of our existence and our rights,” they recalled.
What holds the fabric
A recurring theme was the value of trust and respect among sisters as the foundation of this process. Lea Nicholas-Mackenzie shared that FIMI’s strength lies in its ability to combine political action in international spaces with deep community and territorial grounding. The commitment to building leadership rooted in identity—rather than in spite of it—has been key to sustaining a shared vision.
The panelists stressed that FIMI is not only about opening institutional doors; it also builds processes of education, mentorship, and political, spiritual, and technical empowerment so that more Indigenous Women can actively engage in decision-making. From the Global Leadership School to advocacy at the UN, every space gained has been backed by a network of alliances, mentorship, and daily resistance.
Learning from the past to build the future
Intergenerational dialogue was not only present in the panel’s content but in its very spirit. The founders spoke to younger generations with honesty: sharing not only their achievements but also moments of doubt, unresolved tensions, and persistent challenges. Among these: the effective implementation of international instruments—such as CEDAW’s General Recommendation No. 39—the protection of territories, and the need to ensure dignified conditions so that Indigenous leadership brings not burnout, but collective well-being.
This panel was not a closing or a static tribute. It was a launching pad to keep dreaming together. As many panelists noted, 25 years is not a destination—it’s a foundation. A fertile ground to plant the next steps, with respect, diversity, knowledge-sharing, and clarity of purpose.
We walk far because we walk together
The Path Travelled Together was not only the opening panel of FIMI’s 25th anniversary—it was the beginning of a day of memory, dialogue, and collective vision among women leaders from different regions of the world. A gathering built upon the living history of those who have made this journey possible and that now looks forward with hope and shared commitment.
Twenty-five years after its founding, FIMI reaffirms its role as a connector and supporter of the processes that Indigenous Women are building. Because only through intergenerational continuity, dialogue among Peoples, reciprocity among allies, and the strength of our connections can we sustain a common vision for the future.
The journey we’ve taken together is not over. It is more alive than ever. And now, it’s time to keep walking—with steady steps and a collective heart.
