August 9 is International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

For the month of August, we want to highlight the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People that is observed annually today on August 9th.

Context

Indigenous peoples are inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to people and the environment. Indigenous peoples’ conceptualization of health and well-being is generally broader and more holistic, with health frequently viewed as both an individual and a collective right, strongly determined by community, land and the natural environment. Article 24 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples recognizes the right of indigenous peoples to their traditional medicines, to maintain their health practices and to access social and health services without discrimination.

(World Health Organization International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (who.int))

Facts

– There are an estimated 476 million indigenous peoples in the world living across 90 countries.

– Indigenous peoples make up less than 5 per cent of the world’s population, but account for 15 per cent of the poorest.

– They speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures.

(World Health Organization International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (who.int)

Why we observe

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed on August 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples around the world. The date commemorates the first United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations meeting in Geneva in 1982.

(Cultural Survival 12 Things You Can Do on International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples | Cultural Survival)

Call to Action

We encourage you to observe this day by deepening your understanding of Indigenous issues around the world, listening to Indigenous voices, and reflecting on the vital achievements and contributions that Indigenous Peoples make to the world, including how their leadership and stewardship creates a more sustainable and healthy world for us all.

Want to learn more?

Some sites that you can visit to learn more about this day has been linked below.

• International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (who.int)
• 12 Things You Can Do on International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples | Cultural Survival
• INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE – August 9, 2023 – National Today