International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples tomorrow:

'Indigenous Media, Empowering Indigenous Voices'

The International community observes the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on August 9 every year. The day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of indigenous peoples' cultures and great diversity that they represent. It is also an occasion to redouble efforts to address issues of exclusion, discrimination and poverty that are still the daily reality for many of these peoples.

The Day was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1994.

It commemorates the first meeting of the UN Commission on Human Rights Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in 1982.

The term 'Indigenous Peoples' generally means native or original inhabitants of a particular region or country often sharing a collective identity. The indigenous peoples number around 370 million in 70 countries and represent nearly 4 percent of the world population. United by many common experiences, including histories of marginalization and struggles for cultural survivals, they are nonetheless unique and distinct.

Different languages

Indigenous peoples live in every region in the world. They live in climates ranging from Arctic cold to Amazon heat, and often claim a deep connection to their lands and natural environments. For many indigenous peoples, the natural world is a valued source of food, health, spirituality and identity. Land is both a critical resource that sustains life and a major cause of struggle and even death. They live in more than 70 countries scattered in all regions of the world and speak over 4,000 different languages.

Among many indigenous peoples are the Indians of the Americas, the Inuit and Aleutians of the circumpolar region, the Saami of Northern Europe, the Aborigines, and Torres Strait Islanders of Australia, the Maori of New Zealand and Veddahs of Sri Lanka. These and most other indigenous peoples have retained social, cultural, economic and political characteristics which are clearly distinct from those of the other segments of the national populations.

Throughout human history, whenever dominant neighbouring peoples have expanded their territories or settlers from far away have acquired new lands by force, the cultures and livelihoods - even the existence - of indigenous peoples have been endangered.

The threats to indigenous peoples' cultures and lands, to their status and other legal rights as distinct groups and as citizens, do not always take the same forms as in previous times. Although some groups have been relatively successful, in most part of the world indigenous peoples are actively seeking recognition of their identities and ways of life.

Priorities and aspirations

This year's Day is devoted to 'Indigenous Media, Empowering Indigenous Voices', highlighting the importance of indigenous media in challenging stereotypes, forging indigenous peoples' identities, and influencing the social and political agenda. Ban Ki-Moon , Secretary General of the United Nations in his message to mark the International Days of the World's Indigenous Peoples 2012 says "indigenous voices are recounting compelling stories of how they are combating centuries of injustice and discrimination, and advocating for the resources and rights that will preserve their cultures, languages, spirituality and traditions. They offer an alternative perspective on development models that exclude the indigenous experience. They promote the mutual respect and intercultural understanding that is a precondition for a society without poverty and prejudice."

The Secretary General pledges the full support of the UN system to cooperate with indigenous peoples, including their media, to promote the full implementation of the Declaration and calls on Member States and the mainstream media to create and maintain opportunities for indigenous peoples to articulate their perspectives, priorities and aspirations. Indigenous peoples have been working with the United Nations to name and assert their collective rights for decades.

The General Assembly declared its first International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples in 1994 and the 2nd in 2005. The UN Declaration on the rights of the Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the General Assembly on September 13, 2007 following its adoption by the Human Rights Council in June 2006.

"In the five years since the adoption of the UN Declaration, communities and individuals have been taking advantage of the reach of traditional and new media to tell their story and make their voices heard", says UNSG.