In recognition of World Water Day, the Okanagan Nation Alliance is bringing together Indigenous leaders, local government representatives, researchers, scientists, regional and international water experts and community partners for the siwɬkʷ Water and Climate Forum. Held in partnership with the Okanagan Similkameen Watershed Collaborative Leadership Table (CLT), the two-day gathering will focus on climate-resilient governance and collaborative watershed stewardship.

Rooted in the Syilx understanding of siwɬkʷ, this year’s Forum emphasizes cold, clean, flowing water for all living things, underscoring the critical need for strong watersheds — because without water, nothing lives. The Forum seeks to build practical pathways toward long-term watershed resilience as drought, wildfire risk, and ecosystem stress intensify in the region. Over two days, participants will engage in keynotes, panels, and dialogue sessions addressing drought planning, watershed governance, climate risks, and long-term stewardship.

This years Forum speaker and panel highlights include:

• Dr. Jeannette Armstrong, Syilx scholar and Canada Research Chair in Okanagan Indigenous Knowledge and Philosophy, speaking on siwɬkʷ as Life – Past, Present and Future, setting the intention of the Forum on day one.
• Joining us from Madrid Spain, Dr. Nuria Hernández-Mora, a globally recognized water governance expert and advisor to the European Commission on the European Union Water Framework Directive. Her keynote, Learning to Live With Less Water: Spain’s Journey Toward Climate-Resilient Water Governance, will explore collaborative governance approaches to water scarcity in Europe offering international examples that can guide and inspire local action.
• Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, Principal of White Raven Law and counsel to the Haida Nation, presenting lessons from long-standing government-to-government agreements
• Gwen Bridge, CEO of Gwen Bridge Consulting, addressing Indigenous and regional collaboration in water governance
• Riverside chat with 4 leaders of the CLT monitored by Co-chair Councillor Tricia Brett.
• Panels and discussions will also feature regional scientists, economists, and practitioners addressing climate impacts on aquatic habitat, hydrology, agriculture, forestry/wildfire, and watershed sustainability.

Our forests are burning, our waters are drying, and the time to act is now — the siwɬkʷ Water and Climate Forum is a call to action to protect our watersheds and ensure that there is:

cold, clean, flowing, water for all living things.

“Without water, we cannot live.” — y’ilmixʷm simo Chief Robert Louie, Westbank First Nation, Co-Chair of the Collaborative Leadership Table

EVENT DETAILS 

Date: March 23-24, 2026

Location: The Delta Grand Okanagan Resort, Kelowna BC

REGISTRATION REQUIRED and is closing soon, get your tickets while they last!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION: siwɬkʷ Water & Climate Forum – Okanagan Nation Alliance

The Okanagan Similkameen Watersheds Collaborative Leadership Table (CLT) is a Syilx-guided initiative bringing Local Governments and the Syilx Nation together to protect and restore siwɬkʷ|water. Over 130 elected leaders signed the Memorandum of Agreement building government-to-government relationships honoring the jurisdictional spaces of each member government. Currently, the CLT is hosted by the Okanagan Nation Alliance in partnership with the Okanagan Collaborative Conservation Program. The CLT is focused on creating a 250-Year Watershed Responsibility Plan as a means of facing the complex challenges of the region with a united response and multi-generational perspective.

Learn more about the CLT: Okanagan Similkameen Watershed Collaborative Leadership Table – Okanagan Nation Alliance

For more information please contact: 

waterforum@syilx.org

The 2026 2026 siwɬkʷ Water and Climate Forum would not be possible without the support of our Sponsors:

limləmt | thank you