Rome, Italy – Binalakshmi Nepram, Founder-Director of the Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network and the Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples, Gender Justice and Peace, will be participating this week in the 3rd In-Person Global Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in Rome, from 13 to 17 October 2025.
During this historic gathering, Binalakshmi Nepram will be leading the Grand Global Launch of the “Global Network of Indigenous Peacebuilders, Mediators and Negotiators” — a new worldwide initiative aimed at strengthening Indigenous-led approaches to peacebuilding and advancing the shared global goal of a world free from hunger and wars.
Bridging Food Security and Peacebuilding
In her remarks on the occasion, Nepram highlighted that Indigenous Peoples’ food systems are not only sources of nutrition but also foundations of peace and resilience. She emphasized that “there can be no food security without peace, and no peace without justice on the land,” calling for global recognition of Indigenous knowledge systems that have sustained the Earth’s biodiversity and communities for millennia.
Nepram stated:
“Indigenous Peoples’ wisdom on food, land, resources and peace must guide our collective response to both local as well as rising global crises and conflicts. From our fields to our peace tables as we have seen in my homeland Manipur, we must honor Indigenous governance and the values of respect, reciprocity, and relationship that have kept our peoples and the planet alive.”Nepram will also be donning the role of an Indigenous Chef in Rome and will be supervising making of an Indigenous Manipuri Meal in Rome at the FAO headquarters at the event under the theme, “Cooking for Peace.”
Global Network of Indigenous Peacebuilders, Mediators and Negotiators
The Global Network of Indigenous Peacebuilders, Mediators and Negotiators conceptualized at the First Global Summit on Indigenous Peacebuilding in April 2024 brings together Indigenous women, Elders, and youth from across continents — from Asia and the Pacific to Africa, the Americas, and the Arctic. The Network’s mission is to promote Indigenous-led mediation, peace dialogue, and conflict resolution, and to ensure that Indigenous perspectives and practices shape global peace and humanitarian frameworks.
Nepram announced that the Second Global Summit on Indigenous Peacebuilding will take place on 25–26 April 2026, bringing together global partners, UN agencies, and Indigenous communities to advance this vision.
The FAO’s Global Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems serves as a key platform to integrate Indigenous knowledge into global policy dialogues on food, biodiversity, and climate.Nepram’s participation in the Hub, alongside Elders and Indigenous leaders from over 100 countries, underscored the urgent intersections between food sovereignty, climate justice, gender equality, and peacebuilding.
She reaffirmed the commitment of Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network, the Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples, Gender Justice and Peace to work with FAO and other partners to advance Indigenous-led solutions for the next 80 years of food and peace security.
About Binalakshmi Nepram
Binalakshmi Nepram is an Indigenous scholar, author, and peacebuilder from Manipur, Northeast India.She is the Founder-Director of the Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network and the Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples, Gender Justice and Peace.
Her pioneering work links disarmament, peacebuilding, and women’s empowerment, and she has been recognized globally for her efforts to build peace from the grassroots to the global stage.
She has addressed the United Nations, Nobel Women’s Initiative, and major global forums advocating for Indigenous Peoples’ rights, gender justice, and human security.
Media Contact: Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network