About Four Worlds
Four Worlds International Institute
Starting From Within, Working in a Circle, in a Sacred Manner, We Heal and Develop Ourselves, Our Relationships, and the World.
Who we are
Ancient wisdom and modern science, for a sustainable and empowered future
Four Worlds International Institute is a family of people and organizations, bound together by a set of common principles based on the traditional teachings of North American tribal peoples, brought together with the best that western science and technology has to offer, in a non-profit organization. Since 1982, Four Worlds has been learning how to support individuals, families, organizations, communities and nations in building a healthy and sustainable future for the Human Family.
Our beginning
December 1982, on the Blood Reserve
Four Worlds International Institute for Human and Community Development was born out of the intense deliberations and prayers of a gathering of native elders and community leaders held on the Blood Indian Reservation, on the high plains of Alberta, in the last week of December 1982. Forty distinguished representatives of North American tribes met in search of a solution to the social devastation brought on by alcohol, poverty and an increasing sense of powerlessness that was sweeping across tribal communities.
In 1995 a bold new initiative was undertaken by Phil Lane Jr., then International Coordinator of the Institute, to create a profitable business to fund its humanitarian work and related initiatives. This community-based, sustainable economic enterprise, Four Directions International, promotes healthy living through herbal products, environmental solutions and technologies, and international trade agreements.
What we do
Three areas of work
Educational
Fostering “Seventh Generation” leadership by empowering youth and women in decision-making, protecting and restoring Sacred Sites and cultural expressions, and promoting Indigenous plants, medicines and sciences, while integrating holistic healing practices through Indigenous healing and educational centers.
Capacity building
Promoting unified action among global organizations for a compassionate and sustainable world; supporting the establishment of an Indigenous Bank of the Americas to strengthen Indigenous economic resources and alleviate poverty; and fostering the unification of Indigenous Peoples through international treaties and trade agreements that protect Indigenous rights, lands and sovereignty.
Environmental
Working to stop the destruction of Mother Earth’s ecosystems by extractive industries, promoting green energies such as solar, wind and geothermal, and establishing Bioregional Marine Sanctuaries across the Americas to protect and restore natural habitats, wildlife and water.
Leadership
Hereditary Chief Phil Lane Jr.
An enrolled member of the Ihanktonwan Dakota and Chickasaw Nations and an internationally recognized leader in human, community and economic development, Chief Lane founded the Institute in 1982 with Indigenous elders and spiritual leaders from across North America, and has guided it since.
“We are all indigenous people to Mother Earth… We are related to all living things. That’s the fundamental foundation of the indigenous worldview.”
Our work is rooted in relationships, and it begins with reaching out
Whether you are seeking more information, want to collaborate, or simply wish to connect, we are here.
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