KOTA KINABALU: This year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous People national level celebration promises a bigger event with special focus given to indigenous women and youths as custodians of traditional knowledge.
The four-day celebration to be held at Hongkod Koisaan KDCA here from August 6 will accommodate all the programmes and activities which will include a showcase of the Malaysian indigenous people’s culture, traditional lifestyle and sports as well as cooking.
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous People is celebrated on August 9 each year to recognize the first United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Population meeting in Geneva in 1982.
The event was conceptualized in 1994 when the UN General Assembly decided that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People should be observed on August 9 annually during the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People.
In 2004, the Assembly proclaimed the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (2005-2014) which goal was to further strengthen international cooperation in solving problems faced by indigenous people in the world in the areas of culture, education, health, human rights, the environment and their socio-economic development.
This year’s the UN General Assembly has declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests to raise awareness on sustainable management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests for the benefit of the present and future generations.
The theme fits well with the majority of the indigenous population whose lives are closely connected to the forests in various aspects including spirituality and identity.
National level celebration’s organizer, the Malaysian Indigenous Peoples Network, has been organizing the event each year since 2008. Last year it was held in Selangor.
The organization hopes that the event would further advance the recognition of indigenous rights in Malaysia in collaboration with donors, government agencies, corporations, civil society organizations and the public.
Special focus this year will be on women and youths with highlights on their roles as custodians of traditional knowledge and acknowledge their struggles to overcome double marginalization and discrimination.