The Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) participated in a landmark regional meeting organised by Colombia’s Comisión Nacional de Territorios Indígenas (CNTI), held in Bogotá from September 16–19, 2025. The gathering, titled “Experiences and Lessons Learned on the Use of Geographic Information Systems in the Defence of Indigenous Territories in South and Central America,” brought together Indigenous organisations and allies from across the region to share experiences, strategies, and innovations in territorial defence.
CNTI is a national political body established in 1996 to facilitate dialogue between Colombia’s Indigenous Peoples and the government. The organisation plays a central role in monitoring the recognition, delimitation, and protection of Indigenous territories, rights enshrined in Colombia’s Constitution. In partnership with the Tenure Facility, the CNTI has also been pioneering the Indigenous Geographic Information System (SIG-I), an initiative designed to empower Indigenous Peoples to manage and protect their territories through their own data and mapping systems. It is on that premise that the CNTI invited the APA to participate.
Mapping and Monitoring Coordinator Linburg Pearson and GIS Technician Jalen Frank represented the APA.
During the first day of the meeting, CNTI representatives shared the decade-long journey of developing the SIG-I system, highlighting the process from initial community consultations to the current phase of testing a mobile application. They related that the system was born out of necessity, citing the lack of accurate governmental data, limited access to information, and the need for autonomous territorial monitoring and planning. Participants also discussed key challenges, including funding gaps, limited spatial data infrastructure, and the need for robust community-based capacity building to ensure Indigenous independence in data management.
Day two featured presentations from various organisations across South and Central America showcasing their monitoring systems and training strategies. The APA contributed to panel discussions highlighting its ongoing efforts to build capacity among Indigenous communities in Guyana to use GIS as a tool for territorial defence and decision-making. Both APA representatives contributed to that discussion.
The third day focused on Indigenous data sovereignty, emphasising the importance of Indigenous control over their data, ethical governance, and the preservation of cultural knowledge. Speakers highlighted common barriers, including weak legal protections and the loss of community-held information.
On the final day, participants reflected on key lessons learned and explored opportunities for continued collaboration. APA presented its main lessons learnt, which included the importance of establishing formal protocols, native toponymy projects, and identifying new tools that can be used to improve the quality of our work. Additionally, the organisations discussed what they wanted to work on together moving forward.
A major outcome of the meeting was the proposal to create a regional Indigenous GIS network, connecting organisations across South and Central America. This network will support advocacy, political engagement, mapping projects, and knowledge exchanges while developing joint protocols and training opportunities. Each participating organisation is committed to designating two representatives, one technical and one political, to ensure both mapping and policy perspectives are integrated.
Throughout the exchange, participants recognised shared challenges and opportunities across the region, ranging from territorial threats to the use of similar GIS technologies. The APA also identified promising collaborations, including learning from Brazil’s COIAB, which showcased its data management software, GAIA.
APA’s participation reaffirmed its commitment to regional solidarity, capacity building, and technological empowerment as vital components of Indigenous territorial defence. By joining hands with sister organisations, the APA continues to champion Indigenous autonomy and collective action in protecting ancestral lands across the Americas.