UNITED NATIONS, 6 August 2012 – This year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (9 August) will shine a spotlight on indigenous media – television, radio, film, and social media – and its role in helping to preserve indigenous peoples’ cultures, challenge stereotypes, and influence the social and political agenda.

An event at UN Headquarters in New York on the theme of “Indigenous media, empowering indigenous voices” will feature remarks by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs; Grand Chief Edward John, Chairperson of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and others. It will be followed by a panel discussion with representatives of indigenous media organizations from across the world and video clips produced by indigenous peoples.

The panel, moderated by Amy Stretten, will include Kenneth Deer, founder of the newspaper ‘The Eastern Door’; Nils Johan Heatta, Chairman of the World Indigenous Television Broadcasters Network; J. Kehaulani Kauanui, a professor at Wesleyan University and radio producer; and Angel Tibán Guala, Director of the television of Movimiento Indígena Campesino de Cotopaxi (TV MICC).

There are an estimated 370 million indigenous people in some 70 countries around the world. Practicing unique traditions, they retain social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Spread across the world from the Arctic to the Amazon, indigenous peoples reflect the world’s cultural diversity and are the custodians of its bio-diversity.

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2007, recognizes indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination (Article 3) and their right to freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development, and develop past, present and future manifestations of their culture in various forms.


“Indigenous voices are recounting compelling stories of how they are combating centuries of injustice and discrimination, and advocating for the resources and rights that will preserve their cultures, languages, spirituality and traditions. They offer an alternative perspective on development models that exclude the indigenous experience. They promote the mutual respect and intercultural understanding that is a precondition for a society without poverty and prejudice,” the Secretary-General said.

The event will also include a film screening of “Voices through time”, produced by Centro de Culturas Indígenas del Perú (Chirapaq), documenting the efforts of indigenous men, women and youth to use radio and new communication technologies as means to build networks and make their cultures, demands and aspirations visible.
“From community radio and television to feature films and documentaries, from video art and newspapers to the internet and social media, indigenous peoples are using these powerful tools to challenge mainstream narratives, bring human rights violations to international attention and forge global solidarity,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message for the day. “They are also developing their own media to reflect indigenous values and fight against myths and misconceptions.”

About the International Day
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is commemorated annually on 9 August, in recognition of the first meeting of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations, held in Geneva in 1982. The International Day was first proclaimed by the General Assembly in December 1994. (SOURCE)

An indigenous Rai community woman participates in a parade to mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous People in Katmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)








A special event at UN Headquarters in New York on 9 August will feature speakers and videos of indigenous media organizations, with a A special event at UN Headquarters in New York on 9 August will feature speakers and videos of indigenous media organizations, with a live webcast.