2025 Equator Prize: Community Orientation, Dialogues, and Training

Each year, the Equator Initiative Community Dialogues provide a vital space for Indigenous and local leaders from Equator Prize-winning organizations to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and build collective capacity. These sessions are designed to foster connection, enhance communication skills, and equip participants with the tools to engage policymakers at global and national levels.

On 07, 09 and 14 October 2025, more than 100 representatives from the 16th cohort of Equator Prize-winning initiatives convened virtually for a series of community orientation, dialogues, and training sessions organized by the UNDP Equator Initiative. Over the course of three days, participants gathered to engage in discussions, showcase their nature-based projects, identify and address shared challenges, enhance their communication skills, and collaboratively develop a community statement calling on global leaders.

Day 1: Welcome and Setting the Stage

The event began with a warm introduction from Anna Giulia Medri, Team Lead and Partnerships Advisor of the Equator Initiative. This opening session marked the first opportunity for the winners to meet one another, exchange experiences, and learn about the innovative projects each group is leading. 

Participants were introduced to key upcoming events, such as the Nature for Life Hub and the Equator Prize Award Ceremony, where their achievements will be celebrated.  They were also given a thorough briefing on the mission and goals of the UNDP Equator Initiative, laying the foundation for the upcoming activities.

An important component of the Community Dialogues is the communications training offered by the Equator Initiative. Before the Dialogues, winners completed the free Learning for Nature course “From Grassroots to Global Impact: Effective Communication for Local and Indigenous Leaders.” The course equips Indigenous and local community representatives with the skills to share their stories effectively in both local and international contexts. The Dialogue concluded with a summary session reinforcing key lessons on public speaking and storytelling. 

Welcome, Introductions and Overview

After welcoming the Indigenous Peoples and local community members representing the 10 winners of the 2025 Equator Prize from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Peru, and Tanzania, Anna kick-started a knowledge exchange between them, facilitating introductions and inviting participants to share about their initiatives and nature-based solutions.

  • Anna outlined the objectives and expectations of the Community Dialogues as follows:
  • Fostering connection and long-lasting friendship.
  • Exchanging knowledge and experiences.
  • Enhancing communication skills.
  • Highlighting the importance of community work and nature-based solutions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • Equipping participants with tools to engage policymakers at global and national levels.

Setting the Context and Storytelling

Jamison Ervin, Manager of the UNDP Global Programme on Nature for Development, led the "Setting the Context" session, where she outlined the purpose of the Community Dialogues and how they align with the key objectives of the Equator Initiative. 

In addition, Jamie emphasized the importance of storytelling to engage the target audience, comprising both national and international stakeholders, with a focus on the SDGs, the roles of Indigenous Peoples in addressing global challenges, and nature-based solutions. This set the stage for the subsequent review and recap of the online communications training.

Following this, Miguel Luis Arias, Program Associate, and Camila Miranda, Communications Associate of the Equator Initiative, delivered a presentation on storytelling and public speaking. They provided insights into crafting effective elevator pitches, emphasizing key elements such as a compelling hook, a clear solution, and a strong call to action. Prior to the dialogues, winners had completed the "From Grassroots to Global Impact" course to prepare for these sessions. The day concluded with the assignment of a homework task: recording a 1-minute elevator pitch targeting a specific audience, such as a policymaker, donor, government official, or potential partner. 

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Day 2: Communications Training and Introduction to the Draft Community Statement

The second day centered on refining communication skills, specifically how to amplify messages through social media, followed by the introduction of the working draft of this year’s Community Statement. Participants and the Equator Initiative team reviewed recorded elevator pitches, providing constructive feedback to help attendees master the art of storytelling. The day concluded with a breakout session focused on refining the first draft of the Community Statement to ensure it is aligned with the groups’ priorities.

The Power of Social Media and Elevator Pitch Feedback

Camila kicked off Day 2 of the Community Dialogues with a strategic session on social media, focusing on its key benefits and practical strategic guidance for Indigenous Peoples and local communities. She provided tips on leveraging social media platforms to build visibility, citing examples from past Equator Prize winners.

Miguel then led the review session for the elevator pitches. While the participants produced excellent work, some noted the challenge of communicating on camera. The team provided constructive feedback on controlling tone, projection, maintaining conciseness, and conveying passion when telling their stories.

 

Community Statement Exercise

Jamie led the next section introducing the Community Statement, outlining its purpose, pathways of change, and key messages. After reviewing the first draft, participants divided into breakout groups to provide critical feedback. In the plenary session, participants emphasized themes they wished to see more strongly integrated:

  • The critical importance of empowering Indigenous Peoples and local communities and recognizing their leadership.
  • Highlighting traditional knowledge in conservation efforts.
  • The need for international and national support, including better access to resources and funding.
  • Addressing climate finance disparities.

 

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Day 3: Finalizing the Community Statement

Following the feedback from the previous session, the third and final day focused on reviewing and refining the Community Statement. Attendees engaged in critical discussions covering the statement’s content and structure, ensuring the inclusion of accurate terminology and regional examples of successful initiatives. The Dialogues concluded with an overview of the roadmap leading to the Equator Prize Award Ceremony in December 2025. 

Refining the Community Statement

Anna opened the final day with a recap before introducing the updated draft of the Community Statement. Before splitting into breakout groups for the final review, she emphasized the importance of identifying clear calls to action for global leaders and articulating the unique challenges and solutions of their initiatives.

Representatives from the breakout rooms shared the following key takeaways to be included in the final statement:

  • A demand for more trust and support for Indigenous Peoples’ involvement in carbon projects.
  • A readiness to be entrusted with protecting forests and biodiversity.
  • The need for legal recognition of territories and protection of Indigenous communities.
  • The crucial role of young people in conservation efforts and the need for world leaders to recognize grassroots climate change initiatives.

To wrap up the Community Dialogues, Anna presented details regarding the Equator Prize Awards Ceremony scheduled for 11 December 2025.