Activities external to ISS25:
1) Full day workshop and cultural exchange (local food shared, cultural artefact/gift exchange ceremony, networking event) exclusive to Indigenous delegates (and other First Nations not attending the symposium) and hosted by local Songhees Nation (confirmed);
2) Opportunity for local site visits to Songhees and neighbouring First Nations working with seaweed and coastal remediation;
3) Opportunity to visit Indigenous Centre for Aquatic Health Sciences on Vancouver Island;
4) Final day debrief and report writing including the opportunity to develop an International Indigenous Seaweed Declaration to provide to the United Nations (currently in discussion with IAC).

Activities within ISS25:
1) Opening and welcome ceremony with Songhees Nation and international scientific phycology community networking event;
2) Brad will co-chair full day of Indigenous presentations alongside Native Hawaiian colleague;
3) Participate in presentations from international First Nations working within the seaweed industry as part of our Indigenous mini-symposium;
4) Exclusive First Nations evening dinner event midway through conference (confirmed with IAC);
5) Seaweed field trips to locations (non-Indigenous specific) on Vancouver Island with other delegates;
6) Full conference attendance to benefit from the entire range of presentations/workshops across the International Seaweed Industry;
7) Closing ceremony

Immediate benefits to other attendees include exposure to traditional knowledges shared by members of our Indigenous delegation, creating space for knowledge exchange between traditional and modern sciences. The large presence of Indigenous delegates also presents immediate and future benefits to our First Nations cohort via the development of our Indigenous seaweed collective, strengthening our capacity to be leaders in the industry. The global seaweed industry can benefit immensely from more meaningful engagement with First Nations people worldwide, beginning by building mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous people built on trust. Large international symposiums like the ISS provide a platform for these relationships to form. Future benefits to the Australian Indigenous seaweed industry will result from this symposium, such as a strengthened network between Australian First Nations delegates attending, global relationships built with other Indigenous and non-Indigenous delegates, global visibility as Indigenous leaders in seaweed research. Immediate and long-term benefits to the Australian seaweed industry will result from our engagement with current international RD&E in the global seaweed industry, bringing knowledge back to Australia via our own practices and published industry report.