Guardians of Gaia
« This ambitious project aims to bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and ecological science, creating a holistic approach to environmental education through local school initiatives. Its primary objective is to empower students and local communities to recognize, value, and actively help preserve traditional ecological knowledge. This aligns with UNESCO's mission to safeguard, transmit, and promote traditional knowledge through education and conservation. »
Unesco Letter, 10 February 2025.
Division of Ecological and Earth Sciences and
Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) Natural Sciences Sector
From Mountains to the Sea
At a time of accelerating climate disruption and biodiversity loss, isolated actions are no longer enough.What the planet needs is a shared vision, a collective language, embracing all systems of care.
Guardians of Gaia is an international, UNESCO-supported framework designed to transform fragmented conservation efforts into a living, global network of planetary stewardship.
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It brings together science and ancestral wisdom, education and action, local territories and global governance — from mountains to seas.
For a General
Overview
You can watch this short video
(4 min)
English
A Holistic Approach
“Learn to see with one eye through the strengths of Indigenous knowledge,
and with the other through the strengths of Western science —
and use both together for the benefit of all.”
The “Two-Eyed Seeing”,
taught by Mi’kmaq Elder Albert Marshall:
By recognizing these knowledge systems as complementary, Guardians of Gaia promotes epistemic justice and creates educational pathways that are inclusive, culturally respectful, and scientifically robust.
At its core, Guardians of Gaia places Indigenous Peoples and Traditional Knowledge Holders at the heart of conservation, as co-educators and co-designers of solutions.
The Earth is one interconnected system, and protecting it requires acting across ecosystems, cultures, and generations.
The program creates a global network of regional hubs dedicated to:
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restoring ecosystems,
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transmitting knowledge,
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empowering youth,
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and generating shared environmental intelligence.
What this means in practice
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Western science provides global tools: biodiversity monitoring, data analysis, satellite observation.
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Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) offers relational ethics, long-term local observations, and a deep understanding of all living systems.
From Learning
A Global Network of Guardians
Creating a global network of young guardians through sanctuaries and/or in-school or extra-curricular educational activities. Students, alongside indigenous communities, will be able to understand and then adopt an active role in the protection of local ecosystems and cultural heritage. Sanctuaries can become meeting places where the preservation of nature and cultures intertwine, reinforcing the idea that protecting the environment also means protecting the identity and knowledge of a people.
Approach: implementation of school and/or extra-curricular activities enriched with traditional and indigenous knowledge.
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Cultural transmission : Indigenous communities can share ecological and cultural knowledge, demonstrating that traditional environmental practices are inseparable from the protection of their cultural heritage.
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Practical immersion : Students can explore local ecosystems and, when possible, designate a natural area to be protected and become its guardians while respecting indigenous knowledge.
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Global network : Interconnected sanctuaries around the world create an intercultural learning community, where students exchange environmental and cultural methods, solutions and knowledge, creating deep connections for a sustainable and inclusive future.
Our Pillars
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Empower – To train active protectors of nature and culture, equippedwith knowledge and tools to take action.
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Protection – Preserve indigenous and traditional habitats, culturalheritage and ecological knowledge.
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Sharing – Promote the intergenerational and intercultural transmission ofknowledge, ensuring the perpetuation of environmental and culturalheritage.
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Guardians of Gaia is forging a new generation capable of linking the preservation of cultures to the regeneration of ecosystems, thus respondingto the ecological, inclusive and societal challenges of our time.
