Skip to main content

Autumn Peltier

< Back to previous page

Autumn Peltier

Chief Water Commissioner, The Anishinabek Nation
Autumn Peltier

Indigenous Activist. 3x International Children’s Peace Prize nominee. Indigenous rights advocate. Peltier is from the Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island, Canada. Known as the “Water Protector" the teenage activist fights for water rights for indigenous peoples. At the age of 12 at an International Assembly Peltier came face to face with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau; gaining international attention for her unrelenting approach asking him for answers. In 2019 at the age of 16 she was appointed Chief Water Commissioner by the Anishinabek Nation. She has spoken in front of the United Nations and other world leaders, demanding clean drinking water on indigenous reserves. Peltier is one of the leading youth environmental activists of the world. In 2021 was awarded a Planetary Health Award by Prince Albert II Foundation of Monaco. Autumn Peltier has been a keynote speaker at The World Economic Forum in Switzerland and named in such publications as "The Power List - Top 50 Ranking Canadians" (Macleans), and "15 Indigenous People to Know in Canada" (ELLE). In 2019 her short film 'The Water Walker" received global attention as cameras followed her journey to address the United Nations in New York at the age of 13 and is now featured on HBO Canada.