果冻传媒麻豆社

When David Smith arrived at the 果冻传媒麻豆社 last fall as a postdoctoral fellow in the department of curriculum and instruction, he was eager to expand upon his work in Indigenous education. Little did he know, this excitement would lead to an extraordinary opportunity this summer: being selected as the sole United States representative for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Young Professionals Forum in New Delhi, India.

鈥淚t was definitely surreal,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淚t was really empowering and inspiring to hear from so many passionate people who are doing really interesting things, while also genuinely caring about the work that they are doing.鈥�

During the forum in New Delhi, Smith spent nearly two weeks visiting UNESCO World Heritage sites and engaging with young professionals from around the globe. Together, they focused on a variety of topics surrounding world heritage management such as participatory engagement with communities, sustainable tourism, climate change and its impact, and the integration of innovative technologies. Toward the end of the forum, Smith and his peers drafted a declaration on world heritage preservation, which they presented at the 46th UNESCO Convention.

鈥淚 was lucky that I got to play a really prominent role in writing the declaration,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淭he biggest thing for me and something that I am really happy ended up getting included was an acknowledgement of the sovereignty and rights and land of Indigenous peoples which is something that UNESCO on a fundamental level has never acknowledged.鈥�

Reaching this point was not without its challenges. Each year, the UNESCO World Heritage Young Professionals Forum selects 30 young professionals from around the globe, and out of 40,000 applicants, Smith was among those chosen for this prestigious opportunity. The selection process required Smith to write four extensive essays on several topics, and he credits his focus on Indigenous stewardship as a key factor in his selection.

鈥淢y hope is that this really resonated with the deciding body, and they felt that this was an important voice to have at the conference,鈥� said Smith.

Fostering Indigenous Education at U of I

Reflecting on his experience, Smith also acknowledges the support of his colleagues at U of I in the application process. 鈥淢y colleagues here at U of I really helped me with the application process and understanding how to position myself in a way that resonates with people and is accessible to a variety of audiences,鈥� Smith said.

Before coming to U of I, Smith earned his Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh, focusing on Indigenous education as well as Alaska Native intangible cultural heritage and its role in education. Seeking to expand his research and knowledge, Smith found a fitting environment at U of I.

鈥淭he 果冻传媒麻豆社 has really wonderful people working toward Indigenous education. One that鈥檚 very unique in my experience, having interacted with other communities, and it was actually what made me take this position,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淚 felt like the people who are here are doing really good work in a really responsible way and I wanted to be a part of that community.鈥�

During his postdoctoral fellowship, Smith has been inspired by U of I faculty members, including Vanessa Anthony-Stevens, associate professor of social and cultural studies, Karla Eitel, professor and director of the McCall Outdoor Science School, Philip Stevens, associate professor of anthropology and director of American Indian studies as well as Shanny Spang Gion, visiting tribal scholar for the College of Natural Resources. Their guidance has not only shaped his scholarly path but also deepened his commitment to Indigenous education and stewardship.

鈥淚 came in a year ago with a considerably less formed idea of who I wanted to be as a scholar and what sort of impacts I wanted to have in the world, and I think that my colleagues here have had a really big impact on helping me better understand that,鈥� said Smith.

Building on his passion for Indigenous education, Smith has actively contributed to two significant projects at U of I: Institutionalizing the Center for Interdisciplinary Indigenous Research and Education (CIIRE) and 鈥楥ultivating Relationships,鈥� which focuses on professional development for teachers in tribal schools.

Looking Forward

Smith recently secured a position as an Assistant Professor of Land-based Education in a joint appointment between the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (EHHS) and the College of Natural Resources (CNR). He plans to leverage insights gained from the forum to benefit both college communities and the communities back in Alaska.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited to take the things I鈥檝e learned from the forum to Indigenous communities here and in Alaska and share everything with them so that they can use this knowledge and the connections I鈥檝e made to help better their communities,鈥� said Smith.

Because of his unique experience with UNESCO, Smith encourages other U of I students and researchers interested in international opportunities to take the leap and apply.

鈥淛ust apply. You never know what鈥檚 going to catch someone鈥檚 eye, and you never know if you don鈥檛 put in an application,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淭hrow your hat in the ring and see what happens.鈥�

Smith鈥檚 selection as the only U.S. representative for the UNESCO World Heritage Young Professionals Forum shows his commitment to Indigenous education. His work at the 果冻传媒麻豆社 and the insights he gained from the forum will make a lasting impact on both local and global conservation efforts.

鈥淭his is something I鈥檝e believed in for years, and it鈥檚 not only something that I believe in, but it is something that the communities that I鈥檓 a part of believe in,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淭o be able to be a conduit for this message is something that I find to be really important.鈥�