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Report on the Participatory Mapping Working Group (PMWG) Workshop

Dates: August 14–16, 2025
Locations: UBC Campus, Vancouver, Canada

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Introduction

The Participatory Mapping Working Group (PMWG) convened its workshop at the University of British Columbia between August 14 and 16, 2025, with financial support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The event brought together scholars, practitioners, and community representatives to exchange knowledge, foster collaborations, and strengthen the foundations of participatory mapping (PM) within the International Cartographic Association (ICA). The three-day programme combined keynote presentations, thematic discussions, networking sessions, and field-based learning, with a strong emphasis on building relationships across disciplines and communities. In total, we had over 30 participants in Vancouver.

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Day 1: Setting the Stage

The workshop opened with a land acknowledgement and a series of keynote addresses that set the tone for the upcoming sessions. Giacomo Rambaldi, pioneer and long-term international leader of participatory mapping and PGIS (founder of PPGIS.net, etc.), shared lessons from decades of engagement in participatory GIS and mapping projects worldwide (his keynote is available here).

Giacomo’s talk was followed by Drew Blaney, Culture and Heritage Manager of the Tla’Amin Nation. Drew offered an Indigenous perspective on the cultural significance of participatory mapping (presentation available here).

Following these presentations, participants introduced themselves through structured networking sessions. This enabled the group to better understand the diversity of experiences, geographic contexts, and thematic interests represented. All of the “3-slides-intro-presentations” are available here. 

During the first day, we also had the opportunity to visit the Pacific Museum of Earth for a short excursion. 

The day concluded with breakout discussions on thematic connections across the PMWG (Ethics & Good practice; AI, technology and data (validity); OpenEducation and Open resources; Complex entanglements and more-than-human approaches), laying the groundwork for shared priorities. In the evening, participants gathered at Green College for a reception that fostered further networking.

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Day 2: Research and Impact

The second day focused on charting a research agenda and reflecting on the impacts of participatory mapping. Jon Corbett and Jirka Pánek opened the morning by revisiting key emergent themes from Day 1 and framing goals for the day ahead. 

This was followed by a keynote from Dr. Victoria Fast (University of Calgary). Victoria focused on creating maps for users with mobility disabilities. Her presentation and papers mentioned during the keynote are available here. 

The second keynote by Guarav Thapa (UC Davis/UBC) titled “Beyond Boundaries: Replicating Participatory Mapping from Pokhara to Indore” (available here) was a showcase of successful participatory mapping projects from Nepal. 

A second excursion took us to the X̱wi7x̱wa Library, that is the centre for academic and community Indigenous scholarship on the UBC Vancouver campus. Its collections and services reflect Indigenous approaches to teaching, learning, and research.

In the afternoon, participants examined the Atlas of the Unanticipated as a case study, assessing both its methodological contributions and its broader social relevance.

The final session of the day, co-led by Jirka Panek and Jon Corbett, looked ahead to future opportunities. Participants identified priorities for collaboration, funding applications, publication strategies, and the development of a communication network to sustain engagement beyond the workshop. The evening ended with an informal night at Koerners Pub.

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Day 3: Field Trip and Closing

The final day provided an opportunity to reflect in a more unstructured setting. The workshop participants agreed to establish frequent communication via Discord (more urgent matters) and an e-mail-based newsletter (every 2-3 months) for less urgent matters. After lunch, the participants visited the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, which provided a unique insight into Indigenous cultures and heritage in British Columbia.

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Key Outcomes

Several outcomes emerged clearly from the workshop:

1. Establishment of the PM Commission within ICA – Participants affirmed their commitment to formally organise as a commission (higher stage/form than the working group), providing a platform for ongoing collaboration.
2. Networking and Community Building – The workshop successfully connected academics, practitioners, and Indigenous representatives, fostering a diverse and supportive network.
3. Shared Research Agenda – Through keynotes and breakout groups, participants co-developed a set of research priorities, ranging from the ethics of mapping to the measurement of impact.
4. Future Collaboration – Plans were made to pursue joint funding opportunities, co-authored publications, and continued knowledge exchange.
5. Integration of Multiple Perspectives – The event reinforced the importance of blending scholarly insights with lived experiences, particularly from Indigenous communities.

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Conclusion

The PMWG workshop at UBC marked a significant step in reconsolidating participatory mapping as a dynamic and collaborative field within the ICA. Through combining scholarly presentations, participatory discussions, and field experiences, the event created space for dialogue across disciplines and communities. The outcomes highlight a commitment to building stronger research and practitioner networks, co-developing research agendas, and ensuring that participatory mapping remains both impactful and inclusive.

The momentum generated at this workshop provides a strong foundation for the continued growth of the participatory mapping activities within the ICA, with tangible pathways for collaboration, publication, and community engagement in the years ahead.

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