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International expert group meeting on combating violence against indigenous women and girls

January 17, 2012
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Children unite globally to end child labor… A story of giving.

December 22, 2011

By Amy Dean

In 2008, Thomas Hircock father told him about the villiage children in Jhakhand, and Bihar, India. His father, David works closely with the Indian organization Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), or Save the Childhood movement, helping stop child labor in the northeast states of Jharkhand and Bihar. In these areas, the literacy rate is often no higher than twenty percent, and most girls do not attend middle school. When David asked the villages what they needed most to help with children’s schooling, the answer wasn’t paper or pens—it was bicycles. With schools often five to seven kilometers away from villages, the hardest hurdle in curbing child labor wasn’t making the child go to school, it was getting them there.  And David’s son Thomas was determined to help.

The Indian state of Jharkhand lies in the northeast, under a blanket of dense forests and housing some of the most mineral-rich land on earth. The forests make travel difficult, and the profitable mines increase the likelihood of child labor in the region. Consequently, school attendance is low, and for those that do attend, it can be a dangerous journey. Natural predators, like snakes and leopards, are found along the paths to school. Even child trafficking has been known to occur in the area. In spite of these dangers, the girls still want to attend school. Their male peers are allowed to spend the night at schools, but it’s considered culturally inappropriate for girls to do the same. So the young girls must complete the dangerous trek twice a day, with lengths for some up to ten kilometers one-way.

Thomas, at age fourteen, teamed up with his school, Stratford Friends School and together they created the bike club and raised $600 to buy 10 bicycles in 2008. Four years later, the bike club is stronger than ever. In 2011, they raised over $900. The bikes are built in India, and constructed to withstand the difficult forest terrain. Each comes with a repair kit, to ensure long-term use. With each bike possibly holding the weight of four children, quality was stressed over quantity.

Every year when possible Thomas travels to India with his father, often to the State of Jharkhand to distribute the bicycles, and the villagers are very grateful for their contribution. Welcoming parties and food often greet the Hircocks in each village, with festivities continuing as the girls gleefully take the bicycles for their first spin.

BBA founder and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Kailash Satyarthi has cited the bike club as a very influential program in stopping child labor. At a recent UN Conference, he praised Thomas’ efforts, saying that only when children unite globally to end child labor, can an ending be in sight.

As for the future in Jharkhand and Bihar, the bikes have already set the girls’ aspirations high. It’s easier for the girls to attend school, and it allows them to visit neighboring villages to inform other children about their educational rights, guaranteed by Indian law.  Raj Kumari, a young girl now aged 13 of Jharkhand, when visiting the local district magistrate along with some other children, asked the magistrate about building a high school for the area. He responded, “You are a young tribal girl, what do you want with an education?”

Kumari’s confident response? “One day I want to be a district magistrate like yourself.”

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Sharing the story of the Nagas with the world

December 21, 2011

Recently, well-known journalist and Tribal Link colleague, Ms. Barbara Crossette interviewed Athili Sapriina while he was being sponsored by Tribal Link to attend Columbia University’s Human Rights Advocacy Program (HRAP). The interview resulted in an article for passblue.com. Please take a moment to read this excellent piece the and inspired responses it received.

Athili has informed us that the article has been featured on the front page of the Morung Express, the top ranked newspaper in Nagaland. It is also the second page anchor story of the Eastern Mirror.

Thank you to Barbara Crossette and passblue.com for sharing Athili’s story with the world.

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Columbia’s HRAP Fellows attend meetings & workshops in Washington D.C.

November 9, 2011

Athili Sapriina in Washington, D.C. with Columbia University's Human Rights Advocacy Program, November 2011

By Athili Sapriina

The first week of November was special; the HRAP participants went at Washington DC to meet with exciting organizations and individuals. Fourteen human rights advocates along with Stephanie and Sam from the Institute for the Study of Human Rights (ISHR) of Columbia University took the three-hour journey by train on October 31. Immediately upon checking into the hotel and we were off to the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights that afternoon.

Marselha Gonçalves Margerin is advocacy director at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights (RFK Center) she is a member of The Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG) advisory council. We also met with Anna Triponel of PILPG in NY and she is the director of the NY Office. The RFK Center has interest in indigenous peoples issues, having worked in Mexico in the past. They have worked on the right to education for indigenous peoples in the Americas, as well as a study done on untouchability of Dalits in India.

On November 1, I had three appointments. The first was the Fund for Global Human Rights. We were met by Jerusha Burnham, Grant Administrator/Program Associate. The fund supports oganizations working on indigenous land rights, women’s rights, and the issue of forced labor.  Next we went to the Enough Project, an organization that focuses on Africa and specializes in advocating for policy changes.

Later in the day, we met with Human Rights First, an organization whose office was at Capitol Hill, right next to the Supreme Court. The organization’s niche is encouraging the United States Government to take definitive positions on human rights. Four advocates met with Quinn OKeefe, Director of the Human Rights Defenders Program, which is primarily led by lawyers and works on business and human rights, refugee protection, fighting religious discrimination, etc.

On November 2, I met with Mary Wyckoff, Director of Access to Justice of Global Rights. Here I have been able to find a linkage with Nagas because Ms. Megan of Global Rights was aware that the Public International Law & Policy Group (PILPG), a global pro bono law firm, was involved in the Naga issue. She linked me up with Ruben Carranza, Director, Reparative Justice Program at the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and we have plans to meet.

We then went to the Academy for Educational Development, which is now known as FHI360. We met with Anne O’Toole Salina, program director for peace building and conflict mitigation at the Center for Civil Society and Governance and Riley Abbott, program officer of the Capable Partners Program. FHI360 helps organizational developmental capacity through training on grants management. It works closely with USAID on conflict assessments.

The next day, all fourteen advocates went to the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and learned about their programs from Theodore Feifer. We then met with representatives from the Advocacy Project, a fellows program for representatives of grassroots organizations. It works with organizations based in marginalized communities, including India, Nepal, Africa,  Guatemala, etc.

The last meeting was held at the World Bank Inspection Panel, which was formed primarily due to tremendous advocacy work by indigenous peoples around the world. The panel strives to work independent of the World Bank; however, less than 80 cases have been taken up by the panel, which they attribute to lack of awareness of such a mechanism. I met with Peter L. Lallas, executive secretary briefly and spent a larger amount of time with Dilek Barlas, Deputy Executive Secretary of The Inspection Panel.

The exposure I got in DC to support organizations for human rights work was truly eye opening. I hope to be able to keep contact with the people I met there in the hopes that we can help each other in our common missions.

 

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Arriving to NYC to attend Columbia’s Human Rights Advocacy Program

October 24, 2011

By Athili Sapriina  

After spending about a year in my native Nagaland (Northeast India), planning, emailing, calling, collecting documentation and traveling back and forth to India’s capital, I

2011 HRAP Participantslanded in New York City on August 26, 2011 to attend Columbia University’s Human Rights Advocacy Program (HRAP). I am the first indigenous person to attend this program in its 23 year history.

Upon my arrival to New York, I was met at the airport by Pamela Kraft, Executive Director of Tribal Link Foundation, and we went to the International House where I would make my home until mid-December. All throughout the application, I had the consistent support of Pamela and her colleague at Tribal Link, Erin Hinkle. I was also supported and mentored by Ms. Elsa Stamatopoulou, Professor at Columbia University’s Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race. Ms. Stamatopoulou is also the former chief of the Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Columbia University is one of the leading centers for learning in the world and the HRAP (offered by Columbia’s Institute for the Study of Human Rights [ISHR]) has enabled me to access some of the greatest tools of advocacy word. The combination of the rigors of an academic setting with insightful workshops is unique. It has given me the opportunity to reflect on my 15 years of work in media and as a community organizer in Nagaland. The networking opportunities and insightful workshops have been very useful.

The program began with days of orientation on life in the city- personal safety as well as how to take advantage of the varied intellectual and artistic experiences here. The HRAP participants were given about two weeks to decide on which classes we would like to attend. Based on my interests and background I chose “Governmentality, Citizenship, and Indigenous Political Critique” by Professor Audra Simpson (an indigenous Mohawk from Canada) in the Anthropology Department. This is a very unique coarse that focuses on political theory and the detrimental affect that colonial powers have had on indigenous cultures through out history. It attempts to bring back the question such principals as the Doctrine of Discovery in the context of indigenous peoples. Professor is held in high esteem by Elsa and their colleagues in the field.

“New Media and Development Communication” is the second class taught by Professor Anne Nelson. Professor Nelson explores how new media technologies has affected developing societies in the third world. The effects of Facebook, Twitter, Wiki, and other social media tools are explored. She also challenges students to go beyond American perceptions that “everyone is like you” and draws on the massive advances and digital experiences of countries like China, Brazil, and Kenya. Also, for this class I am part of a project which examines the One Laptop Per Child campaign and examines how effective the program has been. Compelling arguments such as whether teachers in Africa should first receive salaries and have drinking water in schools before bringing laptops into powerless classrooms are explored. We also look at the issue of advocacy and activism in this course.

The third class I am taking is “Politics of History and Reconciliation”, which is taught by Professor Elazar Barkan, the Director of the ISHR. This course addresses the human memory and how much reconciliation initiatives have succeeded or failed. Different groups in the classes are doing projects studying this topic as it relates to Armenia, Turkey, South Africa, Bosnia, Indonesia, East Timor, Balkans, Rwanda, Isreal, Palestine, and Cuba.

The first major workshop I attended was on working with the media. The workshops was led by TR Lansner using the “Problem-Solution-Action” model. We closely examined how we must present our case as well as help define ways in which the audience can intervene or help. We all made 2-minute statements that were followed by questions from the audience. We critiqued each other’s performances. We also practiced making 2-minute statements to funders, on which we critiqued each other.

There has also been a fundraising workshop in which I have participated. In this workshop, we got to work out a plan for fundraising based on the needs of our organizations. We were also given training as to researching potential funders and how to managing the giving criteria, follow up requirements, and donor relationships. This workshop is being held 5 times over 8 weeks.

So far, HRAP has been an extremely intense and rewarding experience. For the remainder of my time in the program and here in New York, I will be giving weekly updates here on TribalLink.org. I very much look forward to sharing this experience with you all.

 

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Kenneth Deer (Indigenous World Association) Speaks at Durban Commemoration at UN

September 22, 2011

Today, the United Nations General Assembly held a one day high-level meeting in New York to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action. This document, which is the international community’s blueprint for action to fight racism, was adopted by consensus at the 2001 UN World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance held in Durban, South Africa. It is an innovative and action oriented agenda to combat all forms of racism and racial discrimination. Durban2011ClosingPressRelease (115)

At the opening plenary of the High-Level Meeting, world leaders adopted by consensus a political declaration proclaiming their “strong determination to make the fight against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and the protection of the victims thereof, a high priority for [their] countries.”

In the afternoon session, Mr. Kenneth Deer, Chief Administrative Officer of the Canada-based organization Indigenous World Association made the following statement. Mr. Deer was a speaker on the second roundtable of the afternoon, which focused on victims of racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance: recognition, justice and development.

“M. Chairperson,

Indigenous Peoples have come a long way since 2001 in the fight against racism. Even the Durban Declaration discriminated against us when paragraph 24 states:

“We declare that the use of the term “indigenous peoples” in the Declaration… cannot be construed as having any implications as to rights under international law”.

No other Peoples had to suffer this indignity. We were not recognized as Peoples in 2001.

That is how deep the discrimination we faced then and continue to face today. This racism is rooted in the concept of racial superiority of European and other Peoples over the First Peoples in the lands we occupy. Concepts such as the Doctrine of Discovery, Divine Right and Manifest Destiny had reduced us to lesser Peoples. Some say that it was God’s will that this should happen.

This racism has benefited many of the nation states in this room. Your territory and boundaries are at the expense of the Indigenous Peoples who were there first.

Centuries of racism continues today. It is practiced by more than just individuals and groups who openly discriminate against Indigenous Peoples, it is also ingrained in your policies, legislation and constitutions.  It is so common, that many people do not realize the racism they inflict upon Indigenous Peoples every day.

But there is hope. There is hope because the single most important document to combat racism since 1965, has to be the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples passed by this organization in 2007.

It states, “that Indigenous Peoples are equal to all other Peoples”. That is the most profound sentence in the entire document. The rest of the Declaration is built on this premise. Anything less than that equality is racism. It took the UN 62 years to say that. And we have a whole world to educate about that equality.

The Durban plan of action can help us do this. But more needs to be done.

Some still do not want to recognize our equality. Some say the Declaration is not legally binding, others say it is only aspirational. I challenge that. I challenge states, institutions, organizations and individuals that as human beings you are morally and legally bound to end racism under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. That is what makes the rights inside the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples binding.

As Indigenous Peoples, we look forward to being considered equal as we always should have been.

Thank you, M. Chairman

Kenneth Deer

Chief Administrative Officer”

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Athili Sapriina, first indigenous person to attend Columbia University’s HRAP

September 20, 2011

Athili Anthony Sapriina

Tribal Link is proud to announce the participation of our colleague Athili Anthony Sapriina as the first indigenous person to attend the Human Rights Advocacy Program at Columbia University in New York. The program began on August 29,2011 and will run until December 13, 2011. Tribal Link’s role in this historic event is as a sponsor and mentor while Sapriina attends the program. The success of Athili Anthony Sapriina is part of Tribal Link’s overall mission.

Tribal Link Director Pamela Kraft and Athili, an indigenous journalist from Nagaland (Northeast India),  first met in 2008 at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) at UN Headquarters in New York.  In 2009, Athili participated in Tribal Link’s Project Access, which supports indigenous peoples’ participation in a training program that prepares indigenous participants to engage in the Forum where decisions are being made that affect their rights, cultures, and livelihoods. Throughout the training, Athili demonstrated excellent leadership skills and the capacity to work collectively. During this time, he expressed a deep interest in furthering his education and training as a journalist and advocate for his people — the Naga in Nagaland –  and we encouraged him to pursue that goal. We that saw his talent as a writer and his strong desire to use that talent had great potential to effect change in the world. Athili applied to a number of institutions around the world with a particular interest in the  Human Rights Advocacy Program (HRAP) of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights (ISHR) at Columbia University.

HRAP Participants 2011

It’s now 2011, and Athili Sapriina has made history. Not only is he one of 13 advocates chosen from an application pool of over 280 from 64 countries, he will be the first indigenous person to attended the HRAP. The four-month program—with an academic, skill-building, and networking curriculum—is located in New York City —an enormous geographical and social distance from Sapriina’s home of Nagaland in North East India.

He has spent over a decade of his life working at regional, national, and international levels in the media with HIV/AIDS, indigenous peoples’ rights, and peace. He was once recorded saying, “I’ve had so many experiences in my life, but it is meaningless if I cannot document them from the larger society to digest, draw from, and possibly act…” Ms. Kraft has said, “He is a natural journalist. He has words that must be spoken and stories that must be told…stories that can be understood across the globe.” HRAP Press Release (116)

Nagaland, Northeast India

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First Native American Trading Firm on NYSE

August 25, 2011

Today, Native One Institutional Trading company was honored on Wall Street for being the first North American indigenous company on the NYSE. Commemoration of this historic moment included traditional ceremonial exhibition and Native One’s CEO Donald Lyons ringing the NYSE’s closing bell. View the video below for clips from the day and an interview with CEO Donald Lyons.

YouTube Preview Image

About NativeOne
Native One offers services and products to all Tribes and Canadian First Nations, as well as institutional fund managers, state treasurers, pension funds, endowments and other institutional investors. NativeOne is structured to deliver the highest quality of financial service while giving back to the Native American Community in the form of contributions to educational scholarships and other charitable causes. For more information, please visit www.Native1Trading.com

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Free Download-The Indigenous Peoples’ Message to the World

August 5, 2011

For August only, the Indigenous Peoples’ Message to the World is downloadable for Free!

This audio recording was made by BetterListen! in 1992 at the First World Conference of Indigenous Peoples prior to the United Nations Earth Summit in Brazil. Tribal Link was one the partners involved in producing Indigenous Peoples’ Message to the World.

Please click here to download the album. We would be interested in hearing your feedback on the recording by emailing us at pkraft@triballink.org.

Tribal Link thanks BetterListen.com for sharing this important recording with the world. Download and spread the word!

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International Day of the Worlds Indigenous People, August 9th

July 28, 2011

“Indigenous Peoples: A Decade for Action and Dignity”. Poster of the Second International Decade of The World's Indigenous People 2010-2015; copywrite 2001 Carlos Jacanamijoy

Tuesday August 9th is the United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous People. This year’s commemoration will be held in the Economic and Social Council Chamber of UN Headquarters in New York and will feature a panel discussion “Indigenous designs: Celebrating stories and cultures, crafting our own culture”, followed by a screening of the film “Harmony of culture and nature”. Co-sponsors of the commemorative activities are the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Division for Social Policy and Development, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Department of Public Information and the NGO Committee on the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.

Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon & NGO Indigenous Committee Chair Roberto Mucaro Borrero, Taino, at the 2010 commemoration

All are invited to attend. For registration, please email aragonm@un.org with your name, affiliation, and contact information.

NOTE: This Thursday August 4th is deadline for registration.

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IFAD & UN Trust Fund open calls for indigenous project proposals

July 19, 2011

Two major funding agencies have opened their annual call for proposals for indigenous programs and projects.

The Internationals Funders for Agricultural Development (IFAD)‘s Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility (IPAF) will be making grants ranging from US$20,000 — US $50,000. Applicants should respond to the needs of indigenous communities in any of IFAD’s developing member states. Deadline for this proposal is 31 August, 2011 at 24.00 hours Italian time zone. Read more about this grant and it’s requirements in english, francais, and espanol.

The United Nations Trust Fund for Indigenous Issues Related to the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples opened their call for proposals on 1 July 2011 and will close on 1 September 2011. It is expected that this fund will make small grants to projects with up to US$10,000 covering one year’s expenses. Read more about this fund in english, spanish, french, and russian.

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Tribal Link Executive Director on The InterDependent.com

July 8, 2011

Tribal Link Foundation Executive Director Pamela Kraft has penned a short article for The InterDependent, an online publication for the UN Association-USA. The piece focuses on the benefits of Tribal Link’s special status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Click here to read.

Please consider making a donation to ensure that Tribal Link is able to continue supporting the work of indigenous peoples at the United Nations and on the ground in their communities.

The InterDependent is UNA’s venerable flagship magazine. To read more about it and it’s features, click here.

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WPPD Peace Pole sponsored by Tribal Link

June 27, 2011

WPPD Peace Pole at 2011 ceremonies

For 2011 World Peace and Prayer Day, Tribal Link had the very special honor of sponsoring the Peace Pole that was erected in the Bdote Ote in Minneapolis/St. Paul (Fort Snelling National Park) to open the activities in honor of the day that were held from June 18-21, 2011.

In 1994, following the birth of the White Buffalo — a prophetic event for the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota Peoples– Chief Looking Horse was directed to honor the Four Directions with a series of ceremonies at sacred sites to join people together in prayers to share the message of his tradition with others who are also concerned about peace and the destruction of the Earth. These ceremonies were held at the Summer Solstice on June 21st, and thus began World Peace and Prayer Day.   This month, another White Buffalo was born in Texas, fulfilling Native American prophesy.

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World Peace and Prayer Day: June 21, 2011 “All Nations, All Faiths, One Prayer.”

June 10, 2011

Chief Arvol Looking Horse

Chief Arvol Looking Horse, Spiritual Leader of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota peoples, will be leading the 15th annual World Peace and Prayer Day activities from June 18-21 in Bdote, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (Fort Snelling State Park), which will honor water, fire, and silence. For Chief Looking Horse, who began the Day in 1996, this is not just a 3-day observance, but a month-long vigil involving traveling to other spiritual and indigenous communities, holding prayer and picking up the Peace Riders. The year, after his June 5th departure on horseback from Pickerel Lake, SD, Chief Looking Horse and the Tail Feather Peace Riders will make stops in 14 other communities and hold prayer in their respective sacred sites, making their final stop on Bdote, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN (Fort Snelling State Park). Once in Fort Snelling State Park on June 18th, Chief Looking Horse will light the sacred fire, corral the horses, and erect the Peace Pole, opening the weekend activities. This year’s ride is in honor of the Tail Feather Woman (Wiyaka Sinte Win) who received a vision which still today blesses all the People. Please read about the Tail Feather Woman’s feat and her vision here.

In 1994, following the birth of the White Buffalo — a prophetic event for the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota Peoples– Chief Looking Horse was directed to honor the Four Directions with a series of ceremonies at sacred sites to join people together in prayers to share the message of his tradition with others who are also concerned about peace and the destruction of the Earth. These ceremonies were held at the Summer Solstice on June 21st, and thus began World Peace and Prayer Day.   This month, another White Buffalo was born in Texas, fulfilling Native American prophesy.


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UNPFII completes 10th session

May 26, 2011

Ban Ki-Moon and UNPFII Chair Mirna Cunningham opening the 10th session

Today was the final meeting of the 10th session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Over the past 2 weeks, Permanent Forum members, indigenous peoples’ organizations, and civil society have been discussing and debating the work of the international community over the past 2 years in relationship to the rights of indigenous peoples. Issues were highlighted such as rights to land , development with culture and identity , and  human rights violations among many others. A special half-day session was devoted to a debate on the lack of access and rights of indigenous peoples to water and sanitation.

On Monday 16 May the 10th session opened in the General Assembly Hall of United Nations Headquarters with Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon calling on delegates to further strides against the marginalization of indigenous communities, which still make up an estimated 1/3 of the world’s rural poor. “Raise your voice at this Forum and beyond”, Mr. Ban stated to the delegates. “I will urge the world to listen.”

Chief Tadodaho Sid Hill of the Onandaga Nation opening the session with incantation

Sha Zukang, the Under-Secretary for Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Coordinator of the United Nations Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples focused his remarks  on challenge of ensuring indigenous peoples rights all over the world, but noted that they were now “on the global radar” unlike any other time in history.

As per tradition, the session was opened with an invocation from Tadodaho Sid Hill, Chief of the Onandaga Nation and long-time UNPFII participant.

The proposed theme for the 2012 session is the “Doctrine of Discovery: it’s enduring impact on indigenous peoples and the right to redress for past conquests” and will be held at UN Headquarters in New York.

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