Dehradun, March 8: On the occasion of International Women’s Day, women farmers and environmental activists gathered at the biodiversity conservation farm of Navdanya in Dehradun made a war cry of ecological freedom by adopting “Garden of Hope” and “Breads of Freedom” as symbols of women-led climate resilience.
The three-day Diverse Women for Diversity International Fest 2026, held from March 6 to 8, concluded on Sunday with women sowing seeds in a “Garden of Hope” and sharing traditional “Breads of Freedom,” celebrating indigenous foods, biodiversity and community solidarity.
The festival brought together about 150 women from nine Indian states and 14 delegates from seven countries, turning the gathering into a vibrant exchange of traditional knowledge, seed conservation practices and ecological wisdom.
Leading the programme, noted environmentalist Vandana Shiva, founder of Navdanya, said that protecting indigenous seeds and biodiversity is among the most urgent challenges of our times.
After sowing seeds at the concluding ceremony, she said women must lead the movement to regenerate the Earth and protect sustainable food systems.
“Treating women as weak and the Earth as lifeless is a flawed idea. The Earth has the power to regenerate, but we must protect it from the damage caused by toxic chemicals,” she said, warning that reckless interference with nature has intensified global warming.
Senior physician and activist Meera Shiva also addressed the gathering. Environmental experts Debbie Darlier from the United States and Caroline shared international perspectives on food sovereignty and climate action.
Women farmers from Rudraprayag, Tehri and Uttarkashi districts of Uttarakhand, along with participants from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, narrated their experiences of organic farming and traditional seed conservation. Songs, prayers, music and cultural performances celebrating seeds, food and biodiversity added colour to the festival.
International participants from the United States, Germany, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and Nepal also joined discussions on climate change, biodiversity protection and sustainable food systems.
The programme, moderated by Bhawna Semwal, ended with a Women’s Day declaration calling for stronger global solidarity among women farmers to defend seeds, soil and food sovereignty.
With the Garden of Hope and Breads of Freedom emerging as the festival’s defining message, women participants said the movement symbolises a liberating force for communities striving to regenerate the Earth and protect traditional food cultures.
