History
Since 1994, the United Nations has recognized August 9th as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples to raise awareness for the needs of these population groups. Indigenous People represent 5,000 different cultures across 90 countries of the world and are among the most vulnerable. Throughout history their rights have been violated and their way of life challenged.
By sharing stories, hosting events (in normal times) and educating the world about the value of preserving these native cultures and protecting their people, we get closer to achieving the ends of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The 2020 Theme
Each year a theme is declared to guide observances toward common learnings. This year’s theme is ‘Covid-19 and Indigenous Peoples’ Resilience.’ The 2020 event is an online panel discussion that will highlight how Indigenous People are demonstrating strength in the face of the pandemic and all of the other issues surrounding their health and safety.
The event will take place today from 9 – 11 a.m. EST.
To learn how to participate, visit this page. Everyone is welcome.
If you can’t attend the virtual event, there are many resources available to add to your reading shelf:
Action for the Amazon Covid-19 Relief Campaign
Last month, we launched a special campaign to provide assistance to Indigenous Tribes and River People living in the Amazon, as they work to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and sustain a healthy life for the duration of the pandemic.
We still need help reaching our total goal of $80,000, which will be distributed to our charity partners, the Amazon Conservation Team and Nevada Building Hope Foundation, to help with emergency supplies, food and more.
If you’d like to learn more about our efforts or donate to the cause, visit our Action for the Amazon Covid-19 Relief campaign page.
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Photo credit: Kogi Tribe/Colombia #12, 2014 © Julian Lennon. To view his full collection, visit julianlennon-photography.com.
