More than 700 delegates are expected to attend the World Indigenous Business Forum this fall in Waikiki, pumping an estimated $2 million into Hawaii’s tourism economy.
The event seeks to connect indigenous leaders from across the globe to boost international trade as well as indigenous participation in business and economic development.
"Oahu, Hawaii, is the ideal locale to host the World Indigenous Forum, being the meeting place of indigenous peoples for generations already," said Rosa Walker, president and chief executive officer of the Indigenous Leadership Development Institute, which founded the forum. "Delegations can look forward to forming relationships and creating partnerships with businesses, corporations, entrepreneurs and youth from around the world."
The forum was inspired by the World Business Forum and debuted in New York in 2010.
Alex Wilson, who is co-chairing the event with Pono Shim of Enterprise Honolulu, said the forum also provides a venue for indigenous people to discuss important issues in a judgment-free zone where they can share best practices and move toward balance.
Forum organizers held a news conference Friday at Iolani Palace’s Kana‘ina Building.
The debate over whether the $1.4 billion Thirty Meter Telescope should be built on the summit of Mauna Kea likely will be a topic at the forum, which takes place Oct. 27 to 28 at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort and Spa.
"It has to be a topic; we have to talk about the land that we are on," said Wilson, who plans to meet with Mauna Kea protesters whom she said have been inaccurately portrayed as impeding progress.
Wilson said the forum gives Native Hawaiians the opportunity to discuss Mauna Kea with other indigenous peoples to find a way to coexist with business interests while protecting the environment.
"It’s an irony, they want to go and look at the galaxy to figure out how the universe started, but some don’t need a telescope to see how we connect to the stars," said Wilson, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan. "We are almost in a crisis with the environment. We are at a tipping point, but we (indigenous peoples) have the answers that the world needs."
Walker, who is descended from the Ojibway First Nation, said the world’s indigenous peoples are made stronger by shared travesties and successes.
For instance, following last year’s forum in Guatemala City, Walker said that the Chileans and the T’sou-ke, a First Nation people from British Columbia, met to discuss expanding solar, geothermal and aquicultural enterprises.
"The T’sou-ke grow wasabi, and they are sharing their techniques with the Chileans, who also have the right climate," she said.
Nalani Takushi, capacity-building manager for Hi‘ilei Aloha LLC, said the forum is a chance for Native Hawaiian businesses to leverage media exposure and new relationships for greater gains.
While delegates are expected to come from Oceania, Africa and North America, Takushi said she is particlarly excited by the strength of the Latin American contingent.
"Latin America is a growing tourism market. This is a chance for our Native Hawaiian businesses to engage with them," she said.
For more information about the forum, visit wibf.ca.
