Every 9 August, 9 August commemorates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, chosen in recognition of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in Geneva in 1982.
Usually, SWT commemorates the Day by disseminating information about initiatives and activities related to the year’s theme. The subject matter for this year is “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-Determination.”
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is an opportunity to celebrate these communities and their knowledge.
SWT aspires to assist Indigenous Peoples in resolving the numerous issues they confront, while also recognizing their critical role in preserving the diversity of the world’s cultural spaces. Indigenous peoples’ issues are one of our top priority areas for response.
Indigenous women are the backbone of indigenous communities, and they play a critical role in the preservation and transfer of traditional ancestral knowledge about the environment, traditional medicines, food systems, language preservation, and cultural heritage.
Despite our cultural differences and various locations, indigenous peoples from around the world share common problems related to the protection of their rights as distinct peoples.
With the United Nations Goal in mind, we look to our youth as the working agents of change.
Strengthening international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous peoples in areas such as human rights, the environment, development, education, health, economic and social development.
Indigenous youth must participate in decision-making while acknowledging their committed efforts in combating climate change, seeking justice for their people, and fostering an intergenerational bond that preserves their culture, traditions, and contributions.
Indigenous youth-led grassroots groups, networks, and platforms have been critical to meeting communities’ basic needs.
