Skip to content

Center for World Indigenous Studies
Forum for Global Exchange Laura Killian
  • Facilitating active participation by Indigenous people in the resolution of violent conflicts
  • Development of international law
  • Exchange of knowledge and information
index.php

Laura Killian, Coordinator
Forum for Global Exchange

News and Research

Page 1 of 62
Read MoreJanuary 14, 2010

Putting Irish Unity on the Agenda

A conference to open the debate.

With plenaries, seminars and discussions

Initial speakers include: Gerry Adams MP, President of Sinn Féin | Diane Abbott MP | David Adams, Irish Times columnist | Prof Paul Bew | Mick Burke, Socialist Economic Bulletin | Jarlath Burns, GAA | Lord Alf Dubs | Mick Halpenny, SIPTU | Steve Hart, Unite | Prof Mary Hickman | Jimmy Kelly, Unite | Christine Kinealy, writer | Ken Livingstone | Patricia McKeown, Unison | Kevin McNamara, Agreed Ireland Forum | Jon Myles | Andy Pollak, Centre for Cross Border Studies | Margaret Ward, author and historian| Cllr Salma Yaqoob | SDLP representative | and others | Further speakers and sessions to be announced.

Saturday 20 February
TUC Congress House
Great Russell Street, London, WC1B 3LS
10am–5pm (Registration from 9.30am)
£8 (£4 unwaged)

Click "more" to view/download the pdf flyer for more information.

Read MoreDecember 22, 2009

BOLIVIA: Native People Take First Steps Towards Self-Government

Indigenous people, who make up more than 60 percent of the population in Bolivia, South America\'s poorest country, are taking their first steps towards self-government under their own cultural traditions that date back to pre-colonial times.

Read MoreDecember 13, 2009

ARGENTINA: Solar Villages Light Up the Andes

The residents of the Puna, the dry Andean highlands in northern Argentina, are cut off from everything - except the sun. Living on arid land thousands of metres above sea level, they are on their way to becoming "solar villages."

Read MoreDecember 12, 2009

CLIMATE CHANGE: Bringing the Rainforest to Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN, Dec 12 - As delegates deliberate over the extent carbon emissions will be curbed in the closing days of the U.N. summit here, the environmental ramifications of that agreement are likely to be felt in places far removed from the negotiating table, particularly among indigenous people on the front lines of climate change.

Read MoreDecember 07, 2009

CWIS Delivers Written Testimony to Congress on Tribal Concerns About Climate Change

The US Senate is currently discussing climate change legislation known as Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (CEJAP). This legislation, along with the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES), will lay the foundation for the U.S.' negotiating position in the international climate change treaty to be drafted in Copenhagen. The committee pioneering the effort is the Environment and Public Works Committee chaired by Senator Barbara Boxer. The bills, however, conflict with certain policies of tribal governments. For example, since a component of ACES is a nationwide cap and trade program, there is confusion over who has claim to certain stocks of carbon in some of the country's forests. This ambiguity over the beneficiaries of such a program has sparked debate between tribal governments and the federal government. Therefore, the Environmental Diplomacy Project drafted and the Quinault Indian Nation submitted formal letters requesting incorporation of specific tribal language for the new Senate bill to Senators Baucus, Inhofe, Boxer, Murkowski, Bingaman and Grassley. CWIS has written and submitted congressional testimony on this legislation, advocating for indigenous people's rights in the United States and internationally.

Page 1 of 62

Q & A

View Q&A page

read moreRead recent questions from people around the world!

Downloads & Articles

The Meaning of 'Nation' and 'State' in the Fourth World

Excerpt from CWIS Occasional Paper #18, Dr. Richard Griggs
Read this paper
A convenient shorthand for the Fourth World would be internationally unrecognized nations. These are the 5,000 to 6000 nations representing a third of the world's population whose descendants maintain a distinct political culture within the states which claim their territories. In all case the Fourth World nation is engaged in a struggle to maintain or gain some degree of sovereignty over their national homeland.

Who Speaks for Indigenous Peoples?

Download PowerPoint 333 k
This PowerPoint presentation was created by CWIS Chair, Rudolph Rÿser, in order to show where Indigenous peoples fit within the International agenda.

Indigenous Peoples' Center for Documentation, Research & Information Update on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Download Adobe pdf 6 megs
On June 29th, 2006, the newly established Human Rights Council at the United Nations adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People by a vote of 30 in favour, with 2 against and 12 abstentions. This update provides information about the vote, closing statements, resolutions and updates on regional indigenous efforts as the Declaration moves to the UN General Assembly.

FGE Associated Members

Rosalee Tizya

Chief George Manuel Chair for Fourth World Politics

Taiaiake Alfred, Ph.D.

Joe DeLaCruz Chair for Indian Government Development

Richard A. Griggs, Ph.D.

Bernard Q. Nietschmann Chair for Fourth World Geography

Juliete Pittman

Joe Tallakson Chair for Public Policy

Russell Jim

Senior Fellow, Wholistic Environmental Management

Rudolph C. Rÿser, Ph.D.

Sovereignty Project

© 1994-2010 Center For World Indigenous Studies

The Center for World Indigenous Studies is a non profit 501c(3) research and education organization

To request information click here