SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Onondaga Indian Nation has started a new initiative to try and bring communities together. Wednesday, the group 'Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation' launched a program called "Land Rights and Our Common Future."

The plan is to hold 13 meetings with various colleges and local organizations to address a wide range of related historical, environmental and social concerns.

"Our goal is education, and to help our community understand who the Onondaga's are, and why they're concerned about the environment, what their history about that is, and what their culture says about the environment," said Sue Eiholzer with Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation.

So far, 12 major universities have signed on as co-sponsors to extend education beyond the campus.