International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2007

9 August 2007, United Nations Headquarters, New York

Programme of events at UN Headquarters

---Click here to view the events on the UN Webcast---

WELCOME AND SPIRITUAL CEREMONY

11:00am – 12:30pm, United Nations Plaza

Opening song by Iroquois Youth

Message of the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon

Message of the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Coordinator of the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, Sha Zukang

Message of the Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues,

Victoria Tauli-Corpuz (Igorot, Philippines)

Reading of the Declaration of Indigenous Elders from the International Indigenous Elders Summit

by an Iroquois Youth and introduction of the ‘Spirit of the Youth: Unity Run’

Sacred Pipe Ceremony honoring the World’s Indigenous Peoples, Languages and Sacred Sites,

Chief Arvol Looking Horse (Lakota)

Closing song by Iroquois Youth

Master of Ceremonies:

Roberto Múcaro Borrero (Taíno, Puerto Rico), Chairperson,

NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples Wilton Littlechild addressing the crowd at UN Headquarters on the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

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PANEL DISCUSSION

“Honoring Indigenous Youth and Languages”

2:30pm – 5:00pm, Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium,

United Nations Headquarters

Speakers include:

Unity Run representative, Indigenous Youth ‘Spirit of the Youth’;

Mr. Alberto Virella, Permanent Mission of Spain to the United Nations and Ms. Dawn Hill (Mohawk Nation, USA)

Moderated by:

Elsa Stamatopoulou, Chief, Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Indigenous cultural performance by

Ayllu Sisay, a traditional Kichwa dance group from South America

Closing prayer by Chief Arvol Looking Horse (Lakota)

Organized by the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues DSPD/DESA and the NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

(Programme subject to change)

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History

In 1994, the General Assembly decided that the International Day of the World's Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (Resolution 49/214 of 23 December). The date marks the day of the first meeting, in 1982, of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

The UN General Assembly had proclaimed 1993 the International Year of the World's Indigenous People, and the same year, the Assembly proclaimed the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, starting on 10 December 1994 (Resolution 48/163). The goal of the First Decade was to strengthen international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health.

In 2004, the UN General Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples through Resolution 59/174. The goal of the Second Decade is to further the "strengthening of international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development, by means of action-oriented programs and specific projects, increase technical assistance, and relevant standard-setting activities".

Messages of the Day 9 August, 2007

Message from Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations on the International Day of the World's Indigenous People

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August 9 2007 | Message on International Day of Indigenous People | Microsoft Word (doc)

Message from Ms. Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Chariperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigneous Issues on the International Day of the World's Indigenous People

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August 9 2007 | Message on International Day of Indigenous People | Microsoft Word (doc)

Statement by Mr. Sha Zukang, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs and Coordinator for the Second Decade of the World´s Indigenous People on the International Day of the World´s Indigenous People

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August 9 2007 | Message on International Day of Indigenous People | Microsoft Word (doc)

Statement by Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the Framework Convention on Climate Change on the occasion of the International Day of the World´s Indigenous People

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August 9 2007 | Statement | Adobe Acrobat (pdf)

Mensaje de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud en el Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas del Mundo

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August 8 2007 | Message on International Day of Indigenous People | Microsoft Word (doc)

Message from Ms. Ann M. Veneman, Executive Director of UNICEF, on the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous People

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August 8 2007 | Message on International Day of Indigenous People | Microsoft Word (doc)

Message from Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity on the occasion of the International Day of the World´s Indigenous People

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