Towards Legal Recognition for Non-Human Relations: Webinar Series

**Version française ci-dessous!**

The first webinar will focus on rivers and water bodies. The event will feature simultaneous French-English translation to facilitate participation by both anglophone and francophone attendees.

Panelists

• Yenny Vega Cárdenas, Observatoire international des droits de la nature, will talk about the campaigns for the rights of the St. Lawrence and Magpie rivers (in French)
• Mumta Ito, Nature's Rights, who will talk about advancing river rights in the UK and Europe (in English)
• Chuck O'Neal, Floridian entrepreneur and environmental advocate, will talk about enacting and enforcing rights of lakes and waterways in Orange County, Florida
• Pier-Olivier Boudrault, Canadian Parks & Wilderness Association-Québec section, will talk about the campaign for the rights of Mutehekau Shipu/Magpie River (in French)

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Vers la reconnaissance juridique des parents non-humains

Ce webinaire portera sur ​​​​​​l​es rivières et les plans d'eau. Traduction simultanée anglais-français du webinaire entier sera disponible.

Panelistes

• Yenny Vega Cárdenas (Observatoire international des droits de la nature) : Les campagnes pour les droits du fleuve St-Laurent et de la rivière Magpie (en français)
• Mumta Ito (Nature's Rights) : L'avancement des droits des rivières au Royaume-Uni et en Europe (en anglais)
• Chuck O'Neal (entrepreneur et défenseur de l'environnement) : Les droits des lacs et des cours d'eau du comté d'Orange, Floride (en anglais)
• Pier-Olivier Boudreault (Société pour la nature et les parcs-SNAP Québec): Les droits de la Mutehekau Shipu/rivière Magpie (en français)

POUR EN SAVOIR PLUS

This second webinar will focus on supernatural beings and sacred places. Panelists will speak to Indigenous peoples' efforts to enact or revitalize laws that respect and protect the ancestors and supernatural beings embodied in sacred places in their territories.

Panelists

• Award-winning Tŝilhqot’in filmmaker, writer, and photographer Trevor Mack will speak about the legend of Tsʼilʔos (Mount Tatlow) and the Tŝilhqot’in nation's efforts to protect and revitalize their relationship with the ancestors who were transformed into mountains in the Chilcotin range of British Columbia. 
• Māori legal scholar Jacinta Ruru of the University of Otago will speak about Tikanga Māori and recent treaty settlements that recognize that natural systems like rivers, mountains and forests have mauri (spiritual life force) and tapu (sacredness) and are descendants of atua (gods).

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The third webinar will focus on non-human species. Panelists will discuss efforts to secure legally effective recognition of non-human plants and animals as rights holders in Indigenous and non-Indigenous legal systems.

Panelists

• Anishinaabe attorney Frank Bibeau will speak about the Rights of Manoomin (wild rice) tribal ordinance and the lawsuit he filed on behalf of manoomin to uphold those rights in the White Earth Nation Tribal Court, Minnesota.
• Animal Justice staff lawyer Kaitlyn Mitchell will speak about efforts to secure rights and justice for animals in Canada.
• Se’Si’Le co-Executive Director Dr. Kurt Russo will speak about his work with Indigenous communities to protect orcas of the Salish Sea in accordance with Indigenous knowledge, laws and worldviews.

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The final event, led by Mari Margil of the Center for Democratic and Environmental Rights, will be a full-day training in grassroots campaign strategy for participants who want to take action to advance legal recognition for non-human relations in their own communities.

Space is limited at the in-person workshop, with priority given to individuals who have attended the previous webinars. There will be a nominal fee to attend. Travel subsidies may be available for a small number of selected attendees, with preference given to Indigenous participants.

Lunch and snacks will be provided.

Find out more and register