The assembly served as a space for reconnection, reaffirmation, and renewal for the ICCAs – territories of life in Southeast Asia — highlighting the meaningful path of regionalization for the Consortium, grounded in solidarity among Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities, and allied organizations in the defense of our territories of life
First published on 06/17/2025
By ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia
Bringing together over 70 members and partners from across the region, the ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia (SEA) held its 6th Regional Assembly from April 20 to 26, 2025, in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.
The 2025 regional assembly was significant, as it marked the 10th anniversary of the ICCA Consortium SEA’s first regional learning event in Lombok in 2015, a key milestone in the Consortium’s regionalization process.
Throughout the week-long assembly, representatives from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam shared reports on national activities related to documenting, sustaining, and defending the territories of life; deepening their understanding of key themes that define the Consortium’s work in the region. Representatives from the South, East, and North Asia regions also joined as observers and participated in the assembly’s learning and sharing activities, thereby enhancing inter-regional connections and solidarity.
The session on “Documenting Territories of Life” highlighted the role of the global ICCA Registry, featuring practical experiences from the Working Group on ICCAs Indonesia (WGII) in managing its national ICCA registry. Discussions also addressed the strategic implications of ICCAs – territories of life, Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures, and Indigenous and Traditional Territories in shaping the Consortium’s efforts.
Community-led initiatives and the active participation of women and youth took center stage during the “Sustaining Territories of Life” session. In an interactive discussion, participants identified targets for a three-year plan for the regional Consortium to pursue by 2027. A gallery and marketplace showcasing community products across SEA countries kicked off the session.
Lastly, the “Defending Territories of Life” session provided a platform for participants to learn more about key international, regional, and national policies that affect territories of life. Several members presented their work on advancing recognition of territories of life, as well as the implementation of their respective National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).
“This assembly is not merely a meeting. It is a moment of reconnection, reaffirmation, and renewal. Over the past years, our region has walked a meaningful path of regionalization– grounded in solidarity, community governance, and defense of our territories of life,” said Paul Sein Twa,Chairperson of the ICCA Consortium SEA Council.
In addition to knowledge exchange among members and partners, participants also engaged in hands-on learning through immersion visits to two territories of life located in Bayan, North Lombok, and Teluk Jor, East Lombok.
In Bayan, the Indigenous Peoples and Regent of North Lombok warmly welcomed the first group, guiding them through the Bayan Traditional Rice Field and Ideq Gedeng, both integral parts of the community’s customary forests. The group also visited the Sekolah Adat Bayan, Tanah Pecatu, and the Bayan Women’s Weaving Studio.
Meanwhile, the second group journeyed to Teluk Jor, a pioneering marine territory in Indonesia, where they met with the Jerowaru and Para Mas local communities and exchanged insights and opinions about customary governance and management in the territory. Following these discussions, the participants explored the site’s mangrove area and took a boat ride to Gili Belek.
An inter-generational knowledge exchange featuring games and informal conversations over dinner was held on April 25, providing a space for interaction, team building, and camaraderie among the different generations within the Consortium.
The final day was dedicated to dialogues with funding organizations, country reporting, and a vibrant showcase of cultural performances from participating countries. It also marked the approval of the consolidated regional and national targets developed throughout the assembly, charting the course for the Consortium’s thematic work over the next two years.
The 6th Regional Assembly of the ICCA Consortium SEA was organized by its youth-led Regional Coordinating Team and the Working Group ICCAs Indonesia (WGII), with support from the Non-Timber Forest Products – Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP) Asia, the host organization for the regional coordination hub.
Photos: ICCA Consortium Southeast Asia
