As the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is being celebrated around the world today (August 9), indigenous peoples contribution to environmental protection is being recognised, with the centrepiece of the celebrations being held at the UN headquarters in New York

"The Saami community in Scandinavia is well-known for having brought the issue of climate change and it's impact on their future livelihoods to the fora of the international community," said Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director...read more

Read the UN press releases and official statements in English, Russian and several other languages here

For an overview of The Human Rights of Indigenous Peoples please click the link below:

http://www.amnesty.ca/themes/indigenous_overview.php

If you want to make your voice heard on this topic, there is also an online petition that is being hosted by Amnesty International that is available to sign.

Within weeks, the United Nations General Assembly must make a decision on the long awaited and urgently needed UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Either the international community will move ahead with final adoption as has been urged by Indigenous peoples and their supporters worldwide, or adoption of the Declaration will once again be delayed due to the demands of a small, yet vocal group of states.

Please take this opportunity to support the Declaration.

More than 18,000 individuals and organizations have already signed a global petition hosted by Amnesty International Canada in support of the Declaration.

If you haven't already done so, please add your name and encourage many others to do so.

The petition, in English, Spanish, French and Russian is online at:

http://www.amnesty.ca/ip_un_petition/UN_indigenous_rights_petition.php