WCIP Agenda Announced

Haudenosaunee Sachems, the Sami President, President of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples, representatives of each of the seven regions of Indigenous Regional Caucuses will stand a opening conference presenters and as “roundtable” participants with states’ government representatives during a day long session of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples on 22 September at the UN headquarters.  the Plenary Session agenda will include the following:

22 September

Time: 9am – 12:30pm

Location: General Assembly Hall

Opening prayer
Welcome prayer from Chief Sidd Hill of the Haudenosaunee

Opening Plenary Meeting

Remarks from:

H.E. Mr. Sam Kutesa, President of the General Assembly
H.E. Mr Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations
H.E. Mr. Evo Morales Ayma, President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia
H.E. Mr. Enrique Peña Nieto, President of Mexico (Latin American and
Caribbean Group)
H.E. Mr. Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland (Western
European and Other Group)
H.E. Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo (Group
of African States)
High-level representative from Asia-Pacific Region, TBC
High-level representative from Eastern European States, TBC
Chief Oren Lyons, Chief of the Onondaga Nation Council of Chiefs
Ms. Aili Keskitalo, President of the Sami Parliament of Norway
(Representative of the Arctic Indigenous Region)
Mr. Luis Evelis, Senator of the Republic of Columbia (Representative
of the Central and South America and the Caribbean Indigenous Region)
H.E. Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Dr. Dalee Sambo Dorough, Chair, UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

The WCIP Outcome Statement will approved as the morning session comes to a close.

The Afternoon Session beginning at 3:pm involves a series of “round tables” chaired by indigenous representatives and states’ representatives. The topics for each round table will be:

Roundtable 1: UN system action for the Implementation of the Rights of
Indigenous Peoples

Roundtable 2: Implementing the Rights of Indigenous Peoples at the
national and local level

And several roundtables on 23 September beginning at 3:00pm Eastern:

Roundtable 3: Indigenous peoples’ lands, territories and resources

Presenters

Ms. Mililani Trask Representative of the Pacific Indigenous Region
Mr. Abdon Nababan Representative of the Asia Indigenous Region

Panel Discussion: Topic: Indigenous priorities for the post-2015
sustainable development agenda

Given the nature of the United Nations this is about as inclusive for Indigenous peoples and Nations as can be expected.

I think this is a a reasonably good start of a longer-term dialogue and negotiations between Fourth World nations and UN Member states. All of the neigh sayers should sharpen their minds, open their hearts and prepare for hard, but needed diplomatic efforts in 2015 and beyond.