Contribute to the Journey Home

We are seeking proposals for panels, workshops, trainings, and other sessions for the 12th Annual Repatriation Conference: Tending the Fire – Sustaining the Journey Home. The fully virtual Conference will take place on Thursdays and Fridays throughout February 2027.

Help Us Explore the Theme: Tending the Fire - Sustaining the Journey Home

The fire has been fed—now we tend to the flames to prepare for the journey home. 
  
Repatriation is the return of Native bodies and cultural heritage to Native Peoples’ control. The Association on American Indian Affairs is an international leader providing training, critical thinking, and strategies for the return of Ancestors, as well as tangible and intangible cultural heritage. The Association’s Annual Repatriation Conference brings a wealth of expertise and opportunities together for anyone working to protect Native Peoples’ cultural heritage. 
 
“Tending the Fire – Sustaining the Journey Home” builds on the momentum of past Repatriation Conferences and calls us to look toward the future. The 12th Annual Repatriation Conference will give practical training in areas of domestic and international repatriation, critical thinking opportunities to develop strategies, networking breaks to build relationships, and intergenerational healing tools to support a healthy working environment, to build capacity for Native Nations, allies, and institutions.  
  
The Association welcomes all Conference attendees to this fully virtual conference that is intended for Native Nation and Native Hawaiian Organization leaders, practitioners, Elders and representatives, museums, institutions, government agencies, academics, attorneys, collectors, artists, cultural preservationists and others engaged or interested in the return of diverse cultural heritage. 
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PROPOSAL:
5 P.M. ET, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2026

Application Requirements

Panel presentations must meet the following criteria:
  1. The session must be relevant to the Conference theme: Tending the Fire – Sustaining the Journey Home. The theme asks us to look to the future to build capacity so that we can sustain our work to complete repatriation. 
  2. The session adds value to repatriation practice by providing new and interesting information about repatriation efforts – whether those efforts are pursuant to NAGPRA, international repatriation, trafficking, return of tangible or intangible cultural heritage, which could include language, items, knowledge, seeds, or efforts taking place to protect Native cultural heritage domestically or abroad. 
  3. The session is interactive and involves the audience to develop skills, strategies, networks and collaborative efforts. 
  4. The session provides respectful dialogue, even where there may be controversy or disagreement. 
  5. The tone of the session will be in alignment with anti-racism, social justice, human rights, decolonization, de-systemizing, and truth-telling. 
  6. The session must involve collaborative efforts among diverse parties. 
  7. The session shall provide take-away tools to achieve successful repatriation. 
  8. Each panelist will participate in onboarding in the online platform and must have reliable internet and appropriate technical support to present successfully.  ​
Example sessions may include:
  • Repatriation Success Stories that Inspire and Guide Future Efforts 
  • Decolonizing Repatriation Practices within Institutions 
  • Building and Maintaining Capacity with Limited Resources 
  • Changing Research Practices, Western Ideology and Science 
  • Consultation and Diplomacy Strategies 
  • Coalition Building  
  • International Repatriation 
  • Utilizing Legal Strategies in areas of Repatriation 
  • Effective tactics in the return of private collections 
  • Repatriation of Intangible Cultural Heritage ​

How to Apply

The following information will be required when submitting:
  • The title of the session; 
  • The type of session proposed (Workshop, Panel, Roundtable, Other); 
  • The name, affiliation or title, and email address for each session participant; 
  • A brief abstract of the session for the program (not to exceed 50 words); 
  • A detailed description of the session (not to exceed 500 words);  
  • Learning outcomes (2-3 statements, 100 words max); 
  • How the session meets the theme of the Conference; 
  • How the session provides interactive training and provides take-away tools; 
  • How much time is needed for the panel or workshop (a typical session will be 1 hour and 30 minutes long, which should include at least a 20-minute question and answer period or open discussion. However, shorter or longer sessions may also be proposed);  ​
  • Proposal history (if presentation was used in the past at another event); and  
  • Providing your consent to be recorded. ​

DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PROPOSAL:
5 P.M. ET, MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2026

What to Expect

Presentations will be reviewed and selected based on their relevancy to the theme of the Conference and ability to meet the requirements. After your presentation is submitted, you may be contacted for further information or revisions. The Association may ask that your session be amended to support the Conference agenda and theme. Decisions on panel sessions will be completed on or about December 1, 2026.   

Once accepted, all presenters must provide the following information:
  • Provide final titles and descriptions of the session and names, biographies, and photos of all panel members; 
  • Register for the Conference by Monday, January 4, 2027. Registration will be free for approved presenters, which will provide full access to the entire virtual Conference. 
  • Presenters that do not provide requested information by the deadline or fail to register timely will be removed from the program.​

​Presenters whose proposals are accepted will receive free registration to attend the full Conference.
Please note: this is a public conference and all sessions will be recorded for educational purposes.

Contact

Contact the Association at [email protected] or call 240-314-7155 if you have questions.