Subject: International Decade of the Worlds Indigenous People
Uploaded by Center For International Cooperation, (pchuse@igc.apc.org)
Subtopic 1. INAUGURATION
Subtopic 2. CONTACTS
Subtopic 3. ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES
Subtopic 4. SETTING GOALS AND COOPERATING DURING THE DECADE
Subtopic 1. INAUGURATION
The inauguration of the Decade at the Plenary of the United Nations
General Assembly is expected to take place at United Nations
Headquarters in New York on 8 December 1994.
Speakers at the inauguration will include six indigenous/tribal
representatives, the President of the General Assembly, representatives
of Member States, and United Nations officials.
Indigenous speakers are anticipated to represent the Arctic (including
Russia), North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific
(including Australia).
Twenty five indigenous organizations have been contacted by the United
Nations Centre for Human Rights -- as potential focal points of a sort --
for organizations and indigenous peoples to consult together in
designating one indigenous/tribal speaker for their region. All travel
expenses of the representatives chosen need to be paid by the NGO
community or other public and private sources.
To facilitate regional consultation, if you or your organization has a
recommendation for an indigenous/tribal speaker or has funds available to
assist in the travel expenses of a speaker, you may want to contact one of
the following organizations that the Centre for Human Rights has
contacted about the designation of inauguration speakers.
ARCTIC: Inuit Circumpolar Conference (USA) Greenland Home Rule
Government (Greenland) The Nordic Sami Council (Finland)
NORTH AMERICA: World Council of Indigenous Peoples (Canada)
Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations (Canada) Grand Council of the
Crees (Quebec) (Canada) Four Directions Council (Canada) International
Organizations of Indigenous Resource Development (Canada) Indian Law
Resource Center (USA) International Indian Treaty Council (USA)
LATIN AMERICA: Congreso General Kuna (Panama) Coordinadora de las
Organizaciones Indigenas de la Cuenca Amazonica (Peru) Consejo Nacional
Indio de Venezuela (Venezuela) National Garifuna Council (Belize)
Confederacion de Nacionalidades Indigenas del Ecuador (Ecuador) Agencia
Internacional de Prensa India (Mexico) Comite Intertribal Memoria e
Ciencia (Brazil) Associacion Cultural Sejekto de Costa Rica (Costa Rica)
AFRICA: MAA Development and Welfare Association (Kenya)
ASIA: Ainu Association of Hokkaido (Japan) Indian Council of Indigenous
and Tribal Peoples (India)
PACIFIC: Maori Congress (New Zealand) National Aboriginal and Islander
Legal Service Secretariat (Australia) Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Commission (Australia) Cordillera Peoples Alliance (Philippines)
Since there will be only one speaker for each region and because the
Centre for Human Rights is interested in the designation of a speaker by
means of regional consultations of NGOs and indigenous peoples,
communication and coordination in the designation of each regional
speaker will be necessary.
Also, a biography will be needed for inauguration speakers recommended
to the Centre for Human Rights. Recommendations and biographies
(preferably after regional consultation) may be faxed to the attention of
Mr. Kevin Fitzpatrick at the New York liaison office of the Centre for
Human Rights (see below).
Indigenous delegations wanting to attend the inauguration or requiring
further information may contact:
Centre for Human Rights (Attention: Julian Burger), Palais des Nations,
CH-1211 Geneva 10 Switzerland -- (Telephone: (22) 917 1234, Fax: (22)
917 0123)
Centre for Human Rights (Attention: Kevin Fitzpatrick), Room S-2914
United Nations, New York, New York 10017 -- (Telephone: (212) 963-
1631, Fax: (212) 963-4097)
Subtopic 2. CONTACTS
Contacts, in addition to the United Nations Centre for Human Rights listed
directly above, include:
NGO Committee on the UN International Decade of the Worlds Indigenous
People Chairperson: Ingrid Washinawatok Telephone messages for Ingrid
Washinawatok may be left at: (212) 598-0100
Subtopic 3. ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES
INDIGENOUS INITIATIVE FOR PEACE: Possible objectives for the
International Decade were recently prepared by the first assembly of the
Indigenous Initiative for Peace. The postal mailing address of the
Indigenous Initiative for Peace is Heriberto Frias 339, Col. Navarte,
CP03020, Mexico DF, Mexico.
INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS SPIRITUAL ELDERS AND PEOPLES CONFERENCE:
One of the objectives of this conference is to support the International
Decade. The conference will be held 3-6 February 1995 in Aotearoa-New
Zealand. Further information is available from Bev Muraahi, C/-O.E.I., RD6,
Taumarunui, Aotearoa-New Zealand. (Telephone: (7) 895 5946, Fax: (7)
895 9021).
UN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION: An article is in preparation on
the launching of the International Decade. For further information,
telephone (212) 963-0352.
Subtopic 4. SETTING GOALS AND COOPERATING DURING THE DECADE
Some individuals and organizations may want to explore the possibilities
of setting goals for the International Decade and cooperating on efforts of
common concern.
For instance, the Center For International Cooperation is interested in
communication with people focusing on goals and objectives for the
Decade, and on U.S. government policy and legislation regarding the Decade.
Our e-mail address is: pchuse@igc.apc.org.