Virtual platform's second major report . . .
INDIGI-X, a Canada-New Zealand (Aotearoa) joint initiative founded a year ago to connect Indigenous professionals worldwide, released its second cohort report on Friday. The report consolidates findings and recommendations from a six-week-long virtual exchange in the spring that included 22 Indigenous professionals from Canada, New Zealand, and Fiji. It features several topics, ranging from the impact of climate change on Indigenous communities to the unique leadership traits that Indigenous professionals bring to the business community. The first cohort report was released last September.
Findings and recommendations . . .
The report highlights 20 recommendations within four themes: Indigenous economic revitalization; nothing about us, without us; building up, looking out; and bridging the education gap. It also calls for support to assist Indigenous communities in obtaining equity investments and allocating additional funds for entrepreneurs featured in the report and for more opportunities for Indigenous people to share knowledge across countries through paid internships and opportunities for in-person exchanges. The recommendations are intended for consideration by the three national governments.
Growing strong, together . . .
INDIGI-X alumni will be among the Indigenous participants from Canada in the New Zealand-organized APEC Business Advisory Council’s Indigenous Business Leaders’ Dialogue on July 7. This will be the first dialogue of its kind within the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation fora and is part of New Zealand’s push as this year’s APEC chair to include Indigenous policy discussion throughout APEC meetings and within leaders’ statements. INDIGI-X Program Director Raylene Whitford said that it has always been INDIGI-X’s intention to host in-person exchanges, but in the meantime, it will continue with virtual events. INDIGI-X is planning an online speaker series that will be open to the public, and its next virtual exchange will be in October 2021. APF Canada looks forward to continuing to support such initiatives that promote actionable inclusion for Indigenous businesses and professionals.
READ MORE
- APEC Business Advisory Council: ABAC 2021: Inclusion Task Force, Indigenous Business Leaders’ Dialogue
- Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation: APEC seeks to unlock the potential of Indigenous economies
- INDIGI-X: Final Report June 2021
