Every August 9, the International Day of Indigenous Peoples is commemorated, remembering the first working meeting on the reality and problems of native communities, promoted by the UN in 1982.This date has been celebrated since 1994 with the objective to celebrate cultural diversity and recognize the rights of the world’s indigenous peoples.

Today there are more than 476 million indigenous people in approximately 90 countries around the world. And despite being a group made up of several hundred million people, the indigenous population represents only 5% of the world's population, and the majority are in a highly vulnerable situations. In fact, they also represent 15% of the poorest population on the planet.

The celebration of this day has its origins in the need to recognize and protect the rights of indigenous peoples, who have often been marginalized and excluded throughout history. Many indigenous communities have faced and continue to face discrimination, forced displacement, loss of their lands and natural resources, as well as violations of their basic rights.

The International Day of Indigenous Peoples seeks to promote inclusion, equality and respect towards the communities. It also offers us an opportunity for reflection and to draw attention to the current challenges faced by indigenous peoples. The importance of preserving and promoting their traditions, languages and cultures, in addition to raising awareness as a global society about the struggles they constantly face, and to which we are no strangers, because many of them affect us directly or indirectly.

Commemoration event, August 9, 2024 (9:00 - 10:30 a.m. EDT, New York time)
Interpretation will be available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Register for the UN event
where speakers will share their expertise on protecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples in voluntary isolation and initial contact.