On the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, observed annually on August 9, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for the global community to safeguard the rights of indigenous peoples to live in peace and dignity.
"Indigenous peoples represent around 6 percent of the world's population, but their stewardship signifies an outsized contribution to our global community," Guterres stated, highlighting their crucial role as "keepers of knowledge and traditions" and "guardians of the environment."
He emphasized that indigenous communities help protect some of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, warning that "their survival is our survival." However, Guterres expressed concern over the serious challenges they face, including threats and violence, and the negative impacts of extractive industries like mining, agriculture, and transport, which have accelerated deforestation and land degradation.
"Ancestral homelands and natural resources that they depend on for survival are coming under siege," he cautioned. "Their rights to self-determination and agency—enshrined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples—are yet to be fulfilled."
This year's theme, "Protecting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Voluntary Isolation and Initial Contact," underscores the importance of respecting their rights to avoid unwanted contact. Guterres warned that such contact can have devastating consequences, including exposure to infectious diseases, forced assimilation, and the disruption of culture, language, and livelihoods.
The UN chief called on the international community to "stand behind the rights of indigenous peoples to chart their own futures" and to "safeguard their rights to live in peace and dignity."
Established by the UN General Assembly in 1994, the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples aims to promote and protect the rights of the world's indigenous population. There are an estimated 476 million indigenous people across 90 countries, speaking the majority of the world's estimated 7,000 languages and representing 5,000 different cultures.
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UN chief urges preserving indigenous peoples' rights to live in peace
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