UN Marks Indigenous People's Day With Call For Action Against Discrimination
 
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2005 10:00:53 -0400

 
UN MARKS INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY WITH CALL FOR ACTION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION
 
New York, Aug  9 2005 10:00AM
The global community must move from words to action to protect the 
rights of its indigenous peoples, from their lives to their livelihoods 
and their lands to their languages, United Nations Secretary-General 
Kofi Annan said today in a <"http://www.un.org/events/indigenous/sg.htm">message 
marking the <"http://www.un.org/events/indigenous/">International 
Day of the World’s Indigenous People. 

	“We rejoice in the richness of indigenous cultures and the special 
contributions they make to the human family,” he declared, noting 
that the first International Decade of the World’s Indigenous 
People launched in 1995 helped make their voices heard more clearly 

“We also recall the tremendous challenges which so many indigenous 
peoples face, ranging from unacceptable levels of poverty and disease 
to dispossession, discrimination and denial of basic human 

“This year, we enter a Second Decade, and as we do so, let us remember 
that dialogue alone is not enough.  Our focus must be on action 
to protect the rights of indigenous peoples and improve their 
situations with respect to their lands, their languages, their 

The Day was being marked throughout the whole UN system with special 
observances ranging from artistic performance to panel discussions 
and messages from specialized agencies highlighting the issues 

For example, the Director General of the UN World Intellectual Property 
Organization (WIPO), Kamil Idris, highlighted the need to 
protect traditional cultural expressions and knowledge and associated 
genetic resources against misappropriation and misuse, thus 
helping indigenous peoples to exercise greater authority over how 
these vital elements of their cultural identity are used and disseminated. 

	At UN Headquarters in New York, indigenous artists were staging 
performances in the Public Lobby and a panel discussion was being 

The celebrations also included the screening of a documentary film, 
‘Indigenous Peoples and the United Nations,’ which is intended 
to raise awareness about indigenous issues among government officials 
 2005-08-09 00:00:00.000 


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