Keynote and Conference Closing: Reflections on my Journey to the United Nations Highest Humanitarian Prize - the UN Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize

in this talk, I share the personal and professional journey that led to receiving the United Nations Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela Prize, reflecting on decades of work grounded in Indigenous knowledge, trauma-informed practice, and human rights advocacy. I trace this path from frontline counselling at an Indian residential school to community-based healing initiatives to national and international efforts addressing the intergenerational impacts of cultural genocide, systemic violence, and displacement. Central to this journey are the teachings of responsibility, collective care, and truth-telling—values that shaped my work with Indigenous survivors, families, and communities, and later informed policy and global advocacy. The presentation emphasises that this recognition is not an individual achievement, but a collective one, honouring the resilience, leadership, and wisdom of Indigenous peoples whose stories, strength, and insistence on justice continue to guide the work forward, in the spirit of Nelson Mandela and the human rights commitments of the United Nations.