Cultural Mediators Training Programme

Summary

The Cultural Mediators Training Programme is funded by the REDD-CCAD-GIZ programme. It is implemented by the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) and the Bribri and Cabecar Indigneous Network (Red Indígena Bribri y Cabecar ; RIBCA) and the Cabecar Talamanca Indigenous Holistic Development Authority (Asociación de Desarrollo Integral del Territorio Cabecar Talamanca; ADITICA).

​The aim of the Programme is to develop a training programme that offers, builds awareness of, and promotes discussion on climate change and its interpretation from an indigenous world view, in order to participate in the construction of the national REDD+ strategy. It will build the capacity of indigenous leaders on REDD+ so that they can disseminate their knowledge and ensure the effective participation of their communities. The participating indigenous organisations suggested carrying out consultations in five regional blocks (RIBCA is one such block). Four blocks have chosen to participate. One has so far refused because it is already in negotiations with the Government on a separate issue that it wishes to resolve first.

The Programme has three phases: (i) building awareness of the programme and gaining support for it; (ii) programme design; and (iii) implementation. At the time of writing (December 2013), phase 1 has been completed and phase 2 is underway.

The programme has been conceived as a regional pilot, if it is successful it will be rolled out in other countries participating in the REDD-CCAD-GIZ programme.