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‘We Felt Seen’: Gold Miners, researchers and Policymakers found Common Ground in Paris

a seminar room packed with people in Paris
The seminar gathered miners, policy makers, NGO's and researchers to discuss responsible gold mining.

As part of the FORMAS-funded research project "Fair Gold? Institutionalising Labour and Environmental Standards Along the Certified Gold Supply Chain" led by researcher Muriel Côte, a seminar was recently organised at the Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University, in collaboration with several partner institutions. The seminar brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and small-scale gold miners from Colombia and Burkina Faso to reflect on labour and environmental conditions in artisanal gold mining, and how their reflections on “responsible gold supply chains” efforts.

We asked Samahir Elmubarak, who, along with her colleague Styrling Tangusso, has been working closely with Muriel Côte to make this seminar happen, to tell us about the seminar and its outcome.

Please tell us a little bit about the seminar in Paris.
– We co-organized a full-day seminar in collaboration with partner institutions from France, Sweden, Colombia, and Burkina Faso. The seminar brought together a truly diverse group of participants: small-scale gold miners, academic researchers, policymakers, NGOs, and industry representatives. The goal was to create a space for research-policy exchange and amplify the voices of miners within global conversations on responsible sourcing. The day included a high-level panel, small group discussions, and a session showcasing the latest research on the topic. We were particularly proud to have simultaneous translation in French, Spanish, and English to ensure broad participation. The miners' lived experiences really grounded the discussions and reminded us why these conversations matter.

 

There was a strong sense of shared purpose and mutual respect among participants, despite coming from very different contexts. 

 

How did you feel leaving Paris?
– Muriel, Styrling, and I left Paris feeling energized, humbled, and encouraged. The diversity in perspectives, from grassroots miners to high-level policymakers, made it a rich exchange space. There was a strong sense of shared purpose and mutual respect among participants, despite coming from very different contexts. Many participants shared how meaningful it was to be in a space where they could speak directly, without intermediaries, and be genuinely listened to. The miners told us afterwards they felt seen and respected, which is sadly not always the case in such international spaces.

What do you hope this seminar will lead to? 
– We hope it contributes to a more grounded and participatory conversation about what “responsible” gold really means, and who defines it. There are, of course, uneven power relations within such a diverse seminar space that shape who can say what and to whom. However, seminars like this help challenge top-down narratives about artisanal mining and create the conditions for alternative stories to emerge, hopefully leading to more just and informed policymaking. As a direct result of the seminar, we are also preparing a policy brief and recording a podcast to extend the reach of the insights shared.

How do collaborations like this affect your research?
– These collaborations allow us to connect theory with practice; we’re not only analyzing policies or writing papers, but we’re also engaging with the people most affected by those policies. It sharpens our questions, makes our research more relevant, and builds relationships of trust that are essential for long-term, ethical work.
 

Participating research members

Boukary Zallé, Dr. Christoph Kauffman, Prof Gavin Hilson, Leonardo Güiza Suarez, Maxime Rushemuka, Dr. Muriel Côte, Samahir Elmubarak, Styrling Tangusso, Prof Sylvie Capitant, Dr. Tongnoma Zongo