Copyright © 1999 NLThomas
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The 5th Annual Commemoration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples begins Monday, August 9, 1999 at United Nations Headquarters in New York City, New York. The event is free and open to the public. This year’s events are organized around the theme of 'Indigenous Peoples and their Relationship to Land'.

International Day of World's Indigenous Peoples, is sponsored by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in cooperation with the International Labour Organization, the NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People and the U.N. Department of Public Information.

The commemoration will begin at 11:30 a.m. with a traditional Sacred Pipe Ceremony for Peace, carried out by Dr. Arvol Looking Horse (the 19th Generation Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe, Lakota), at the U.N. Visitor’s Entrance Plaza, free access. There will also be other cultural events from 11:30 a.m. thru 1 p.m. on the morning of August 9, 1999. The morning session does not require registration.

Additional programs require U.N. registration.

AUGUST 9 – 3 p.m. - A dialogue on the theme "Indigenous Peoples and their Relationship to Land" with Indigenous and United Nations representatives (International Labour Organization, United Nations Development Program and the World Bank) is planned for the afternoon of August 9 in Conference Room 4 from 3 thru 6 pm.

AUGUST 10 - A Human Rights workshop is planned with the participation of UN system and Indigenous representatives in Conference Room 4 from 10 am thru 1 pm. A workshop on "Indigenous Peoples and Lobbying Governments" from 3 thru 4 pm - Location later.

The Commemoration will close with a Cultural event and Reception from 4 thru 5:30 pm in the Main Lobby of the Visitor’s Entrance at United Nations Headquarters.

For participation and access to the United Nations building, please, inform by July 31, 1999: The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights United Nations
Rm S-2914, New York, NY 10017 Telephone: 212-963-5931 ~ FAX: 212-963-4097

BACKGROUND

August 9, the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, was approved in 1994 by the UN General Assembly to be observed annually. It is the anniversary of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations which took place in 1982. Its commemoration in celebrated in Geneva and worldwide.

In New York City, it has become a two-day event at UN Headquarters. Besides the Sacred Pipe Ceremony for Peace, the panel discussion will focus on "Indigenous Peoples and their Relationship to Land", theme for the current year of the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (1995-2004). Past years’ themes were "Land and Natural Resources", "Health", "Education and Language".