The 3rd Global Nyéléni Forum is taking place in Kandy, Sri Lanka September 4-13, 2025. Dozens of North American food sovereignty leaders (including Tara Villalba, with C2C) are traveling to partake in the historic gathering, having been convened by these cross-sectoral networks: Climate Justice Alliance, Food Chain Workers Alliance, National Black Food and Justice Alliance, National Farmers Union of Canada and US Food Sovereignty Alliance. The first two forums took place in Mali in 2005 and 2015. The 3rd Nyéléni Global Forum will bring together one of the most diverse representations of the world’s working classes. Expanding beyond its traditional base of small-scale food producers, the forum is building joint proposals and actions to confront the interconnected crises facing humanity today.
The Forum aims to create a political space for Systemic Transformation. Its main goals are to: Develop a shared analysis of the interconnected struggles and global challenges we face; Recognize and celebrate our cultural and spiritual diversities in the collective struggle; Provide a space to exchange knowledge, experiences, and build alliances across movements and regions; Build new joint strategies and a common vision for just and resilient societies. The Forum envisions a world where people rise above profit — organized in resistance to crush capitalism, colonialism, racism, patriarchy, and fascism — making systemic transformation a reality for all.
A global process of mobilization: The road to the 3rd Nyéléni Global Forum has itself been a participatory and movement-led process. It is currently organized into six regional processes, all of which are coordinated and articulated through a Global Steering Committee composed of social movements and grassroots networks. Alongside them, a group of allied non-governmental organizations contributes critical analysis and technical expertise in solidarity with the movement. The process brought together regional assemblies, thematic discussions, and consultations that feed into the content, vision, and demands of the global convergence. These regional contributions will form the foundation of the work at the Forum in Sri Lanka, where they will be brought into cross-regional and cross-thematic dialogues to build unified proposals and action plans.
Sri Lanka is a deliberate choice: In 2022, a people’s uprising—known as Aragalaya—ousted a corrupt neoliberal regime that had plunged the country into a severe debt crisis and societal distress. In 2024, Sri Lanka witnessed a historic shift with the election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the National People’s Power (NPP) coalition, as president. This marked a break from 76 years of traditional political elites since independence from British rule. With a two-thirds parliamentary majority, the new government has pledged social reforms, particularly in rural and agricultural policy.
Learn more: North American Nyéléni Consultation: Food Sovereignty in North America PDF. 3rd Nyéléni Global Forum website.
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