A September 8 press release issued by CEDIN, an organization based in Costa Rica, acknowledges the unprecedented adoption of the term indigenous ‘peoples’ in the United Nations official declaration at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the first time in UN history that the term has been officially used: “We reaffirm the vital role of indigenous peoples in sustainable development” (paragraph 22bis). There had been much debate between UN member nations over the use of ‘indigenous peoples’ rather than the more general ‘indigenous people’. Indigenous leaders have applauded the formal recognition signified by the document as a vital step towards the clarification and protection of their rights. The move has led many to express optimism regarding the upcoming discussions on the UN Draft Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples to be held in Geneva in December 2002.
