International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

9 August commemorates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. It is celebrated around the world and marks the date of the inaugural session of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations at the United Nations in 1982.

As part of the commemoration, the Indigenous Peoples and Development Branch – Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues/DISD/DESA, will be organizing a virtual event, bringing together indigenous peoples’ organizations, UN agencies, Member States, civil society and relevant stakeholders.

This year’s theme is COVID-19 and indigenous peoples’ resilience. The virtual commemoration will feature an interactive panel discussion on the innovative ways indigenous peoples continue demonstrating resilience and strength in the face of the pandemic while confronting grave threats to their survival. The aim is to highlight how the preservation and promotion of indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and practices can be leveraged more fully during this pandemic. Panelists will share good practices with the audience through an interactive virtual event that will focus on building back stronger.