Kitana Mansell has been selected to represent Australia at this month's 3rd Nyéléni Global Forum.
Set to be held in Sri Lanka on Saturday, the Nyéléni Global Forum (Nyéléni) brings together thousands of people, small farmers, small-scale fishers, Indigenous peoples, consumers, non-government organisations and scholars to discuss and propose food sovereignty solutions.
Ms Mansell is an employee of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and the face of Tasmanian Aboriginal food business, Palawa Kipli, which shares Tasmanian Aboriginal history while offering a a modern take on traditional foods.
The native food business is operated by Aboriginal people on Aboriginal land with a commitment to the reconnection of Indigenous people to traditional food practices.
"Food sovereignty is about much more than what we eat, it is about land, culture, self-determination, and justice," Ms Mansell said.
"I am honoured to be part of a global movement where Aboriginal voices and solutions can stand strong alongside First Nations peoples from around the world."
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Farmers from the Australian Food Sovereignty Alliance (AFSA), along with Aboriginal representatives of the First Nations Focal Group of (AFSA) from across the country will join Ms Mansell at Nyéléni.
The event will host discussions on food sovereignty, Indigenous rights, land and water, peoples' health, peoples' economies, democratic participation climate action, and solidarity from a local, national and international perspective.
Focuses of this year's Nyéléni Forum include sharing cultural knowledge and food practices among small-scale farmers, developing strategies to protect Indigenous food systems and sovereignty, and advocating for the rights of local farmers and communities to determine their own food future.
First held in 2007, the 3rd Nyéléni Global Forum follows the second iteration of the event which was held in Sélingué, Mali in 2015.
Nyéléni plays a key role in shaping pathways for future generations, ensuring traditional food systems are recognised, protected, and celebrated on a global stage.