The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is hosting their 83rd Annual Convention & Marketplace in Palm Springs, California from October 18-22, 2026. TIP will attend and host a breakout session on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, entitled “International Updates from WIPO: Protecting Against Biopiracy & Developing Traditional Knowledge and Cultural Expressions Protections,” from 4:30 to 6:00PM (PT) in the Mesquite G conference room.
It is often difficult to secure major legal advancements in international forums. But in 2024, NCAI, Tribal governments, and Indigenous Peoples worldwide enjoyed a major victory when the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) adopted the new treaty on Intellectual Property, Genetic Resources, and Associated Traditional Knowledge (GRATK Treaty). The instrument holds great promise for providing Tribal governments and others with notice of use of their traditional knowledge about plants and animals in lucrative patent applications for pharmaceuticals and other products. In addition, NCAI actively participates in negotiations that are ongoing at WIPO to develop international legal protections for Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions.
This panel will discuss building awareness and fostering implementation of the GRATK Treaty in Tribal, federal, and international venues. Attendees will receive a new publication sharing the experiences and viewpoints of WIPO professionals, Tribal leaders, lawyers, traditional practitioners, and others who are deeply engaged in advocacy and diplomacy regarding the Treaty. The panel will also provide an update from the frontlines of the latest round of international negotiations on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions, which concluded in Geneva, Switzerland on September 25, 2026.
Esteemed Speakers:
- Linda Benally – Advisor, Native American Church – State of New Mexico
- Leo Dayish – President, Native American Church – State of New Mexico
- Aaron Jones – Natural and Cultural Resources Director, The Tulalip Tribes; Co-Chair, NCAI International Committee
- Mark Macarro (Invited) – President, National Congress of American Indians; Chairman, Pechanga Band of Indians
- Heidi Todacheene – Founder and Principal, IndigiNational Strategies
- Wend Wendland – Senior Fellow, Geneva Knowledge Centre; Former Director, Traditional Knowledge Division, WIPO
This breakout session is co-sponsored by the Native American Rights Fund, the University of Colorado Law School, IndigiNational Strategies, and the Native American Church – State of New Mexico, and will be moderated by TIP Co-Directors, Sue Noe and Kristen Carpenter. All attending the 83rd NCAI Annual Convention are welcome to attend!
The Implementation Project team is available to help answer questions and provide guidance, please feel free to reach out to declaration@narf.org and follow TIP on LinkedIn.