International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
9 th August 2004

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Day of Indigenous People

Indigenous Day 2004

"You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers. So that they will respect the land, tell your children that the earth is rich with the lives of our kin. Teach your children that we have taught our children that the earth is our mother. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves."  
- Chief  Seattle, 1854

In 1994, the UN 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 Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.
Already in 1990, the General Assembly proclaimed 1993 the International Year of the World's Indigenous People (resolution 45/164), and in 1993, the Assembly proclaimed the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People, starting on 10 December 1994 (resolution 48/163). The goal of the Decade is to strengthen international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health. The Coordinator of the Decade is the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; its theme is "Indigenous people: Partnership in action"

The Year was requested by indigenous organizations and is the result of their efforts to secure their cultural integrity and status into the twenty-first century. It aims above all to encourage a new relationship between States and indigenous peoples, and between the international community and indigenous peoples -- a new partnership based on mutual respect and understanding.

Monday August 9th 2004 the tenth annual commemoration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous People will be commemorated at United Nations Headquarters, in the Visitors' Lobby (First Avenue at 46th Street) 1:15pm. The program will include statements of the UN Secretary-General, the Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum and others as well as various indigenous cultural presentations. The program is organized by the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues/DSPD/DESA, the Department of Public Information and the NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.


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