VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is teaming up with PEFC International to host the 2023 SFI Annual Conference in collaboration with PEFC Week in beautiful VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada, from May 14-18, 2023.
The conference is an opportunity to network and build relationships with a diverse group of participants, including local and global community members, Indigenous representatives, government officials, students, researchers, conservation groups, customers, investors, and more.
This year’s conference offers exciting opportunities to hear from prominent Indigenous leaders, engage in essential conversations about Indigenous rights, recognition and relationship building, and experience local culture.
SFI is committed to including Indigenous Peoples and perspectives in every conference session. Additional speakers will be added as they are confirmed.
Be part of the conversation
The conference will be a unique opportunity to engage with Indigenous leaders in the forest sector and learn about important topics, including:
Relationship Building and Reconciliation
This panel highlights forest-focused collaborations rooted in recognition and respect for Indigenous Peoples’ rights, traditional knowledge, and self-determined priorities for the future. Hear from Indigenous communities and their forest sector partners about what makes their partnership work, and what you can do to advance your own relationships.
Respecting Indigenous Peoples’ Rights: UNDRIP and FPIC
This panel will offer compelling thought leadership around the important topic of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), as an essential nation-to-nation conversation and foundational principle of sustainable forest management.
Experience local culture
Conference attendees are invited to join us on Indigenous-led tours, including:
TALKING TREES TOUR
Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 10:20 AM – 11:50 AM
Explore Vancouver’s Stanley Park with a local Indigenous guide and cultural ambassador who will highlight how the local trees and plants of the Pacific Northwest have been harvested by Indigenous Peoples for food, medicine and technology for thousands of years. Layered clothing, good walking shoes with traction, and a water bottle are recommended. The meeting point is approximately a 20-minute walk from the Westin Bayshore and a 27-minute walk from the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront.
BILL REID GALLERY
Thursday, May 18, 2023, 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
The Bill Reid Gallery is home to special exhibitions of contemporary Indigenous Art of the Northwest Coast of North America and was established in 2008. The gallery was named after the acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid (1920 – 1998) who was a master goldsmith, carver, sculptor, writer, broadcaster and spokesman. It is Canada’s only public gallery dedicated to contemporary Indigenous Art of the Northwest Coast. The Bill Reid Gallery is approximately a 20-minute walk from the Westin Bayshore and a 10-minute walk from the Pinnacle Hotel Harbourfront.
Sponsor Indigenous participation at the SFI/PEFC Annual Conference
SFI is pleased to offer at least 25 complimentary registrations to Indigenous community representatives, to support broad and diverse Indigenous community participation in the SFI/PEFC Annual Conference.
We are grateful to our sponsors who have enabled this participation. If your organization is interested in supporting these efforts, become a conference sponsor and request that your contributions support Indigenous participation and programming.
Thank you to those who have already committed to supporting Indigenous participation!
