Message of UN Secretary General for the International Day for Indigenous Peoples
(August 06, 2011) On the occasion of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples,
to be held on Tuesday 9th August, the United Nations Secretary General,
Ban Ki-moon, in his message, reaffirmed the rights of these people and the common
commitment of the world to promote the values of equity, justice and dignity for
all. The remarkable variety of this population is manifested by the 5000 odd distinct
groups present in close upon 90 countries constituting a total of some 370 million
persons, accounting for 5% of the world population. They are the caretakers of a
precious patrimony that risks rapid extinction. We see their creativity and their
innovations in the field of the arts, of literature and the sciences. This contribution
is expressed in the slogan for this year, namely: “Indigenous designs, celebrating
history and culture, fashioning our very future.” Indigenous peoples face an uphill
task to maintain their identity, their own traditions and costumes and their cultural
contribution, all of which are exploited and commercialized without any credit to
them. It is the duty of the international society to help these peoples protect
their rights and their cultural patrimony, and their traditional know how and to
develop these further for their own and our benefit.