On September 4, 2014, the African Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) met in Khartoum, Sudan, In addition to commenting on issues of poverty, finance, and infrastructure, they “not[e] with deep concern that the proposed Environmental and Social Safeguards Framework of the Wo
The European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, will hear the situation of Indigenous Maya communities living in Santa Cruz Barillas as they fight the Spanish company Hidralia Energy and its exploitative practices.
By Madeline McGill
Next week, Indigenous representatives from around the Globe will be headed to New York City to participate in the UN’s World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. This high-level meeting of the General Assembly will address the issues of rights in regards to Indigenous communities.
On October 4th, the Tsilhqot’in First Nation of British Columbia will hold a totem pole-raising ceremony to inaugurate 3,000 square kilometers of land as a tribal park, just a few months after a historic Supreme Court decision granted them title to 1,750 square kilometers of disputed land.
The World Conference on Indigneous Peoples is taking place September 22-23 at the UN in New York. Here is a list of the events happening around the conference.
19th September:
11:00 am - 4:00 pm:
Indigenous Peoples’ Solidarity and Engagement with the UN WCIP
By Madeline McGill
September 22, 2014 marked an important day for Indigenous communities everywhere. It was the first of a two-day gathering of the General Assembly at the United Nations in NYC, the first-ever World Conference of Indigenous Peoples.
Throughout the day, over 1,000 Indigenous delegates gathered with Government and UN officials, national human rights institutions, and various heads of state to discuss the best methods to approach and solve issues pressing Indigenous Peoples.
24 September 2014
PUBLIC STATEMENT
Close to 400,000 people turned out in New York City on Sunday, September 21, 2014, for the People’s Climate March, the largest environmental protest in history. Far exceeding expectations, the streets of Manhattan were filled with Indigenous Peoples, environmentalists, politicians, musicians, students, farmers, celebrities, nurses and labor activists united in their demand for urgent action on climate change.
By Madeline McGill
The World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP) ended September 23rd, concluding a two-day United Nations summit dedicated to the discussion of issues concerning Indigenous People on a global scale.
The final day of the conference included a roundtable and panel discussion on Indigenous peoples lands, territories and resources; followed by a closing planetary meeting consisting of summaries by roundtable and panel Chairs.
On Sunday, September 28, 2014 Cultural Survival staff member and founder of community radio Ixchel Stereo, Anselmo Xunic, presented as a panelist in the weekend-long “Third National Meeting of Journalists” in Guatemala City. Over the course of the weekend there were approximately 100 participants representing local, national, commercial, and independent media organizations, such as the Center for Informative Reports on Guatemala, 21st Century, Vea Canal, Rajo Punto, and United Radio Stations, among many others.
By Madeline McGill
Many Indigenous languages, once prominently spoken across North America, have been threatened as their speakers continue to age and new generations are born into an English-dominant society. For numerous Tribal Nations, the number of native speakers has fallen dangerously low, often into the single digits.
It has been through the efforts of elders, educators, and interested youth that Nations have started to see a movement to re-vitalize endangered languages.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
