Indigenous Youth Ocean Congress

Ocean Guardians: Indigenous Youth Voices for Ocean Rights

The Indigenous Youth Ocean Congress (IYOC) is a growing movement led by and for Indigenous youth to recognize Ocean rights and responsibilities. The Ocean is a living relative, not a resource. Rooted in Indigenous law, traditional knowledge, and cultural practice, the Congress creates space for youth to elevate their voices in global conversations about Ocean protection and climate justice. IYOC empowers youth to lead with ancestral values and advocate for the rights of the Ocean through storytelling, law, science, art, declarations, and collective visioning.

We Need Ocean Guardians

The Ocean is facing unprecedented threats from industrial activity, including offshore energy extraction, deep-sea mining, and marine geoengineering. These practices not only endanger fragile marine ecosystems but also violate the Rights of the Ocean and threaten the lifeways of Indigenous coastal communities. Despite their deep cultural, spiritual, and legal relationships with the Ocean, Indigenous youth are often excluded from decision-making processes that affect their territories and futures.

Our Strategy: Youth-Led & Ocean-Centered

This campaign empowers Indigenous youth to lead as Ocean Ambassadors through a 12-month training and action exchange. Grounded in Indigenous law and traditional knowledge, the Indigenous Youth Ocean Congress (IYOC) employs creative and impactful tools such as zine-making, legal simulations, declaration writing, and global advocacy to confront violations of the Ocean’s rights. Youth are not merely participants—they are visionaries, shaping a new model of Ocean governance that centers relationality, responsibility, and the inherent rights of the Ocean.

Ocean Ambassadors who emerge from this program will represent the Congress at Climate Week 2026, bringing their voices and leadership to an international stage. These Ambassadors are Indigenous youth ages 18 to 30 from Turtle Island, who are committed to advancing Indigenous stewardship and asserting the rights of the Ocean within global climate conversations. They will act as powerful advocates for Indigenous knowledge systems and legal frameworks, inspiring systemic change and fostering intergenerational responsibility for Ocean protection.

Dreamstarter Gold Support

This initiative has been made possible and significantly strengthened through the generous support of Dreamstarter Gold, a program of Running Strong for American Indian Youth. With their backing, the Indigenous Youth Ocean Congress has been able to develop a robust 12-month training curriculum and facilitate impactful youth-led actions. Dreamstarter Gold’s commitment to empowering Indigenous youth has helped amplify voices that are often marginalized in environmental and climate policy spaces.

Building Knowledge and Leadership

Over the next year, Ocean Ambassadors will participate in a structured exchange program, building their knowledge and leadership through community-based projects and international advocacy training. This work will culminate in a major gathering during Climate Week 2026 in New York City, where Indigenous youth will publicly launch the Indigenous Youth Declaration for the Rights of the Ocean. This declaration, along with creative outputs like zines and art, will serve as an Indigenous-led intervention into global Ocean policy, honoring the Ocean as a living relative and demanding its protection on a global scale.

How to Get Involved

Are you an Indigenous youth passionate about protecting the Ocean? We want to hear from you! Sign up now

To express your interest and learn more about upcoming opportunities, events, and ways to get involved, with the IYOC please sign up here. By joining our community, you will receive updates, resources, and invitations to participate in workshops, discussions, and youth-led initiatives focused on Ocean protection and Indigenous environmental leadership.

If you have any questions or want to connect directly, feel free to reach out: kleonard@earthlaw.org.

Partners

Additional resources on the IYOC

  • The Indigenous Youth Ocean Congress Information Sheet provides key details about how to participate in the upcoming Congress during Climate Week in September 2026. It includes important dates, location information, and how Indigenous youth can sign up to learn more about the process to become Ocean Ambassadors.

  • This printable 8-page zine template is a creative and accessible tool for Indigenous youth to explore, express, and share their relationship with the Ocean. Rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems and Ocean kinship, the zine guides youth through a series of reflective prompts — from declaring the rights of the Ocean to making promises for future generations. Youth can respond with words, artwork, symbols, or stories. Ideal for workshops, classrooms, and community gatherings, this template supports youth-led advocacy for the inherent rights of the Ocean.

    Once completed, zines can be scanned or photographed and submitted to: kleonard@earthlaw.org

    All submitted zines will be featured on the Currents of Change wall at the Indigenous Youth Ocean Congress during Climate Week in September 2026. 

    Submission Deadline: June 30, 2026

    Your voice matters — and your message can help protect the Ocean.

Header Photo: Unsplash / Vlad Ardeleanu, Resources Photo: Unsplash / Gatis Marcinkevics, Footer Photo: Unsplash/ @earth