LiCAS.news – Thailand – A regional training program organized by ROOTS – the Catholic Network of Indigenous Peoples of Asia brought together 36 Indigenous Catholic leaders and Church workers from nine Asian countries, including Cambodia, for the second phase of a formation on Ancestral Wisdom and Organic Intellectual Leadership.
Held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, under the guidance of longtime Indigenous advocate Fr. Niphot Thianwiharn, the in-person training emphasized leadership rooted in cultural identity and lived experience. Participants are being formed as “Organic Intellectuals”—community leaders who arise from within rather than being shaped by external institutions.
The program is inspired by Laudato Si’ and the Sensus Fidei, affirming the lived wisdom of the faithful as a source of truth in the Church. It includes online and field components, visits to Karen villages, and culminates in community projects. This initiative grew from the Circle of Sacred Rice movement promoting Indigenous spirituality and ecology.
Organizers say the program builds solidarity and supports the Church’s mission to walk with Indigenous peoples—amplifying their voices and creating space for the sensus fidelium in shaping a more inclusive and prophetic Church.
Don Bosco Cambodia - DBFC 