Channel Foundation is thrilled to celebrate the incredible achievement of Joan Carling, a powerful advocate for Indigenous rights, who in October 2024, was honored with the prestigious Right Livelihood Award, often regarded as the “Alternative Nobel Prize,” in Stockholm, Sweden.
This award is given to those who demonstrate exceptional courage and dedication in advocating for sustainable, just, and respectful development across the globe. Carling is a long-time Board member of the International Indigenous Women’s Forum (FIMI), a Channel Foundation grantee, which shares in this celebration, recognizing her outstanding contribution to defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights to land, culture, and self-determination.
Joan Carling was one of the four 2024 laureates selected for her lifelong dedication to preserving Indigenous lands and upholding human rights. Carling’s inspiring journey as a Kankanaey Igorot woman from the Philippines has seen her lead campaigns to protect Indigenous territories from mining, large-scale agriculture, and development projects that threaten local ecosystems and cultures. Through her unwavering activism, she has emerged as a global voice for environmental justice and Indigenous resilience.
Carling’s achievements align closely with FIMI’s mission to elevate Indigenous women’s leadership globally and reflect Channel Foundation’s dedication to advancing social and environmental justice and promoting the leadership and rights of Indigenous women. This award highlights the importance of empowering Indigenous communities to protect their lands and build a future rooted in cultural respect and sustainability. Channel Foundation proudly supports FIMI and other partners working tirelessly for a world where justice, dignity, and self-determination thrive.
The Award features more information and videos of Carling here.
“For raising Indigenous voices in the face of the global ecological breakdown and her leadership in defending people, lands and culture.”
