In October 2025, the National Institute for Lithium and Salars (INLiSa) took a key step in strengthening its intercultural governance by initiating the design of a participatory process that will define the representation of Indigenous peoples ancestrally connected to the salars on its Board of Directors.
According to INLiSa’s bylaws, one seat on the Board is reserved for a representative of Indigenous peoples who maintain historical and cultural ties to the salars and their ecosystems. The regulations establish that both the selection process and the conditions for holding this position must be defined collaboratively with the Indigenous communities through a participatory process.
The process began with the methodological design phase, which includes gathering background information, mapping key stakeholders, and developing a clear and feasible operational proposal. To support this work, specialists in participatory processes and intercultural governance have been engaged to collaborate with the INLiSa team and the territorial coordinators in the regions of Antofagasta and Atacama.
The public call for Indigenous communities is scheduled for December 2025. Through various communication channels, they will be invited to participate in the collaborative development of the selection mechanism and in defining the role that the future Indigenous representative will hold on the Board.
This process seeks not only to ensure the effective participation of Indigenous peoples in the Institute’s strategic decision-making, but also to strengthen the cultural legitimacy and relevance of INLiSa’s governance, in line with the principles of the National Lithium Strategy and the unwavering respect for the environment and local communities.
The official launch of the participatory process forms part of the Institute’s establishment activities, reaffirming INLiSa’s commitment to inclusion, transparency, and the sustainable development of Chile’s salars.
In addition to this formal representation space, INLiSa is fostering an ongoing collaborative relationship with communities in the territories. This relationship seeks to ensure shared information, continuous dialogue, and participation in research and monitoring activities carried out in their lands, recognizing ancestral knowledge as a strategic value for the sustainability of the salars.
This relationship aims to build trust and ensure that the voices of the communities are systematically considered in the scientific and technical research relevant to the sustainable management of salar ecosystems.