World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

Pre-Registration for the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

Pre-registration is now OPEN for the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly, to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples which will take place on 22 September and on the afternoon of 23 September 2014 at UN Headquarters in New York. Please click here for more information.

The deadline to pre-register is: 23 July 2014

General Assembly Informal Consultations
 - World Conference on Indigenous Peoples -

Wednesday, 16 July and Monday, 18 August 2014
UN Headquarters, New York

Two informal consultations will be conducted by the President of the General Assembly. The first consultation will be held on Wednesday, 16 July, 2014 and will focus on the zero draft conference outcome document. A revised draft outcome document will be issued shortly after the consultation of that meeting and considered at a second and final consultation, on Monday, 18 August, 2014.

Pre-registration: Representatives of Indigenous Peoples who wish to attend the informal consultations, please inform the Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues at indigenous_un@un.org by Friday, 11 July for the first consultation and by Wednesday, 13 August for the second consultation. Please indicate the name of the organization, name of the representative and contacts including an email address.

To download the letter to Representatives of Indigenous Peoples please click here

Declaración de Abya Yala

05/23/2014

Naciones Unidas, NY

Señora Presidenta:

Los pueblos originarios de Abya Yala  - América Latina y El Caribe, estamos preocupados de que se esté cuestionando nuestra participación plena y efectiva en el proceso que se desarrolla sobre la CMPI, dejando al margen el contenido de la Declaración de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas, situación que vulnera nuestros derechos inherentes.

Por tanto, enfatizamos en los siguientes puntos:

En atención al Cumplimiento de la Resolución de Naciones Unidas, donde se reconoce la participación plena y efectiva de los Pueblos indígenas, de llevar a cabo la CMPI, es fundamental nuestra participación durante todo el proceso hasta el documento final.

Reiteramos el cumplimiento a la resolución A/RES/66/296, conocido como la Resolución de las modalidades, en la cual se asegura la participación en igualdad de condiciones de los asesores de parte de los estados y de los pueblos indígenas.

Recordamos que la asamblea General aprobó la Declaración UNDRIP,  y según sus art. 18 y23, los pueblos  indígenas tenemos el derecho a participar, a través de nuestros representantes en la adopción de decisiones que afecten a nuestros derechos y elaborar prioridades y estrategias para el ejercicio a nuestro derecho al desarrollo desde nuestra cosmovisión.

Por lo tanto, los Pueblos Indígenas de Abya Yala urgimos al Presidente de la Asamblea General que honre la Resolución, donde se adoptó la Declaración de las Naciones Unidas sobre los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas.

De igual manera queremos resaltar la importancia del documento de Alta que tiene como referencia de la ONU (A/67/994), que ha sido producto del consenso adoptado por todas las regiones indígenas del mundo, la cual proporciona una base firme para redactar el documento final de la conferencia mundial.

Por último, urgimos al presidente que tome en cuenta al 98% de los Estados miembros de la ONU que manifestaron su apoyo a celebración de la CMPI y reconocen la plena y efectiva participación de los pueblos indígenas, y exhortamos a los Estados que no lo han hecho, se unan a esta decisión y sean consecuentes con la adopción de la UNDRIP en el año 2007.

Muchas gracias.  

Declaración presentado por:

Florina Lopez M

Region de America Latina y el Caribe

Small Island Developing States Conference 2014 - SIDS

Major Groups

The participation of stakeholders from civil society and other non-state actors is organized according to the major groups structure articulated in Agenda 21. Representatives from major groups interested in participating as observers in the SIDS Conference and its preparatory process are required to be accredited to the United Nations and register accordingly.
Not accredited? Apply by 12 May 2014
Accredited? Pre-register by 1 August 2014

The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States will be held from 1 to 4 September 2014 in Apia, Samoa, to be preceded by activities related to the conference from 28 to 30 August 2014, also in Apia, Samoa  

The participation of stakeholders from civil society and other non-state actors is organized according to the major groups structure articulated in Agenda 21. Representatives from major groups interested in participating as observers in the SIDS Conference and its preparatory process are required to be accredited to the United Nations and register accordingly. 

 Not accredited? Apply by 12 May 2014 

Accredited? Pre-register by 1 August 2014

Visit http://www.sids2014.org

Information: UN Sustainable Development Goals and the post-2015 Development Agenda

Please distribute to your networks/ Por favor distribuyan a sus redes:  

Call for responses by June 30th, 2014: Indigenous Peoples Major Group Draft Position Paper and Matrix for the UN Post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals: 

Exigen respuestas por 30 de junio de 2014: Proyecto de Documento de posición y Matriz de Los Pueblos Indígenas para los Objectivos de Desarrollo Sostenible despues de 2015 de la ONU

For more information on the Indigenous Peoples Major Group and to download the draft matrix and position paper visit: http://bit.ly/IITC-SDGs

Or join the Indigenous Peoples Major Group listserv at: http://bit.ly/IPMGSDGs

Para más información sobre el Grupo Principal de los Pueblos Indígenas y para para descargar el proyecto de matriz y documento de posición visite: http://bit.ly/IITC-SDGs

O únase a la lista de distribución del Grupo Principal de los Pueblos Indígenas en:http://bit.ly/IPMGSDGs

Thank you/Gracias/Hahom

Roberto Borrero (Taino)

Consultant, International Indian Treaty Council (IITC)

roberto@treatycouncil.org

www.treatycouncil.org

UCTP Letter to the President of the General Assembly John William Ashe

01/27/2014


To: H.E. Ambassador John William Ashe, Antigua and Barbuda,
President, United Nations General Assembly

Via email & hand-delivered

Re: World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (WCIP)

Takahi (Greetings) Excellency: On behalf of the United Confederation of Taino People (UCTP), I am writing to you with great concern regarding the preparations for the High Level Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to be known as the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples. The UCTP is an indigenous Caribbean regional organization extending through the Major and Lesser Antilles, as well as the Diaspora. The UCTP is a member of the Caribbean Organization of Indigenous Peoples (COIP) and an affiliate of the International Indian Treaty Council, an ECOSOC accredited indigenous, non-governmental organization representing indigenous peoples of North, South, and Central America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific.

The UCTP is particularly concerned with your hesitancy to reconfirm the appointment of Mr. John Henriksen (Sami) as the Indigenous co-coordinator (or co-facilitator) on an equal basis with a State representative in that role. The appointment of an indigenous co-coordinator in this process finds its precedent set by the President of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly H.E. Nassir AbdulazizAl‐Nasser (Qatar) in early 2012. With this in mind, we respectfully call upon you to reconfirm Mr. Henriksen in this role, which is a decision consistent with the standards articulated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

 Please note that after consultation with our regional leadership and allies, the UCTP can only support the WCIP process if there is equal representation of Indigenous Peoples. In addition, please also note that should the WCIP move forward without equal representation, Indigenous Peoples who form part of the UCTP will call for the WCIP to be canceled.

In closing, Caribbean Governments are an historic ally to Indigenous Peoples since at least the UN International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on through the process to adopt the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We trust that we can continue to count on the region to move progressively toward fulfilling the goal of “Partnership in Action” as promoted by the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.

Oma bahari (With respect),

Roger Hernandez-Moyet,
Board Secretary & Borikén Liaison

CC: UCTP Board & membership; Caribbean Organization of Indigenous Peoples; Caribbean Amerindian Development Organization; International Indian Treaty Council; Global Coordinating Committee of the WCIP; Latin American and Caribbean Regional Caucus to the WCIP

Vacancy Announcements at FAO Forestry Department

To: Forest Policy Info Mailing
List Subject: Vacancy Announcements at FAO Forestry Department

Dear Colleague, Please help us distribute these recent Vacancy Announcements at FAO Forestry Department, to potentially interested candidates.

 Please take due not of deadlines for submissions.
1) Forestry Officer (Food Security):
http://www.fao.org/employment/current-vacancies/professional/en/ 

2) Forestry Officer (Agroforestry and Urban/Peri-urban Forestry): http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/VA/pdf/IRC2365e.pdf

 3) Forestry Officer (Forest Genetic Resources and Biodiversity): http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/VA/pdf/IRC2367e.pdf

Thank you very much for your interest and support,
Eduardo Mansur
FAO

UCTP submission to UNPFII under Item 8: Future work of the Permanent Forum, including matters of the Economic and Social Council and emerging issues

United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues 

Item 8: Future work of the Permanent Forum, 

including matters of the Economic and Social Council and emerging issues 

Wednesday, 29 May, 2013 

Submission by the United Confederation of Taíno People (Caribbean Regional) 

Presented by Roberto Mukaro Borrero 

Takahi kena hahom. Greetings and thank you Mr. Chair: 

The United Confederation of Taíno People is a regional initiative representing Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean Islands. We have participated at every session of the UNPFII seeking to raise the visibility and promote a better understanding of the situations of Indigenous Peoples from this region, which is connected to Latin America in these proceedings. 

Indeed, while the term Latin America and the Caribbean is promoted at various levels throughout the Permanent Forum sessions, as well as throughout the United Nations system, the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean is unfortunately a rarity rather than the norm. 

On the unusual occasion when Caribbean Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous islanders in particular, are highlighted within the system, there has been very little action on the part of U.N agencies or governments to engage in meaningful dialog or follow-up. 

For example, the Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, under Item 6 Social and economic development, section b-85 states, and I quote: 

“ It is recommended that representatives of Caribbean indigenous peoples should be included in region-specific consultations and conferences in Latin America and the Caribbean, and on steering committees for planning and implementing the programme of activities for the Second International Decade. Serious consideration should also be given to organizing a special regional consultative session focusing on the unique situation of Caribbean indigenous peoples, which would take place in the Caribbean, hosted by a Member State and a local indigenous community.” 

Mr. Chair, to date there has been no such meeting and we are now nearing the close of the second Decade. 

With this in mind, the United Confederation of Taíno People recommends that the Permanent Forum: 

1.) Call on the Inter-Agency Support Group and Governments to support a regional consultative meeting on the situation of Caribbean Indigenous including Indigenous Peoples of non-self governing territories and unincorporated territories in the region, without discrimination. 

 2.) In cooperation with Indigenous Peoples, organize and hold an expert group meeting on the situation of Indigenous Peoples of non-self governing territories and unincorporated territories in 2014 and report on said meeting at its 13th session. 

Hahom (thank you).

Annual United Nations Indigenous Peoples Forum begins

Some of the Caribbean Indigenous representatives at the United Nations Permanent Forum in 2013. From left Damon Corrie (Lokono), R. Mukaro Borrero (Taino), Tai AnaYuisa Pelli (Taino), Hatuey Corrie (Lokono)

United Nations (UCTP Taino News) - Over 2000 representatives of Indigenous Peoples have registered and are expected to attend the 12^th session of United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The Forum opened on 20 May and will close on May 2012. Some of the themes to be discussed include culture, education and health, as well as youth, Indigenous Peoples of Africa and international financial institutions. The session opened with a welcome blessing by Todadaho Sid Hill, a traditional Chief of the Onondaga Nation, part of the Six Nations or Iroquois Confederacy. 

A message from the Secretary General Ban Ki Moon was delivered by  Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. The message stressed that “We must have a better understanding of the views and values of indigenous peoples by engaging them in decision-making and providing a platform for issues affecting their lives and livelihoods.”

The Forum also elected a new chairperson, Paul Kanyinke Sena, who will facilitate the two-week session. A Maasai from Kenya, Sena stated in his opening address that  Indigenous concepts of health and healing includes not only access without discrimination to social and health services, but also includes connections with family, land and language, as well as access to traditional plants, animals and minerals. 

Other opening remarks were presented by the Vice-President of the UN General Assembly, Abulkalam Abdul Momen and the President of the UN Economic, Social and Economic Council (ECOSOC), Néstor Osorio.

Among the diverse participants of this year’s session representatives of Caribbean Indigenous Peoples such as the Lokono Arawak, Carib, and Taino are in attendance. The United Confederation of Taino People, for example, has accredited a number of delegates from throughout the Caribbean region including Borikén (Puerto Rico), Barbados, and Guyana. 

Along with the various discussions and debates taking place during the week, a number of side-events on related-issues will take place in and around United Nations Headquarters. 

 UCTP Taino News 05.21.2013

WIPO INDIGENOUS FELLOWSHIP

Traditional Knowledge, Genetic Resources and Folklore/Traditional Cultural Expressions

Geneva, September 4, 2012

WIPO INDIGENOUS FELLOWSHIP

One year Fellowship (2013), renewable for one further year (2014)

^NEW CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

Applications for the WIPO Indigenous Fellowship are now open.  Interested candidates are kindly requested to submit their expressions of interest no later than October 26, 2012.

For additional information on the application procedure and requirements, please visit our website under “News”.

For further information…
For general requests for information about WIPO’s program activities concerning intellectual property and traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions/folklore and genetic resources and related issues, please fill out this form.

Registration Process - Eleventh Session of the UNPFII

Dear Friends,

Please find enclosed the Arrangements for Participation for your information.

United Nations grounds pass
A blue laminated plastic badge that has a photo of the bearer on it. By itself, it does not give access to the North Lawn Building. It must be used with a secondary access pass.

Secondary access pass
A laminated coloured cardboard non-photo pass that is only valid when it is accompanied by a valid United Nations grounds pass. During the Eleventh Session, they will be issued at the time of registration to give access to the North Lawn Building. This pass can be used for the duration of the session.

During on-site registration, one secondary access pass will be given to each organization to be shared amongst its delegates. These passes will be given out, as long as supplies last, at a table marked “secondary access passes” in the lobby of the General Assembly Building.

Only ONE secondary access pass will be given per organization for the duration of the session. Please take special care not to lose your secondary access pass.

Special event tag (SET)
This is for access to side events in the North Lawn Building.  A coloured cardboard ticket with the date, time and location of the room of the side event (usually held during lunchtime and the evening) will be distributed.  The SETs will be distributed each morning at the SPFII table in the Visitors' Lobby starting at approximately 9:00 AM for that day's events by the event organizers.

Registration Hours
We will be open for on-site registration on Sunday 6 May. In order to Register, you must have already pre-registered online and be approved.

Registration will take place in the Lobby at the UN Visitors' Entrance (General Assembly Building). Entrance is at First Avenue and 45th Street. Once you pass through the white security tent please proceed to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues registration desk.  There will be 3 separate lines/queues depending upon your status:

1) NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC--You will be able to use your existing UN grounds pass but will be required to obtain the secondary access pass to gain access to the conference room.
2) New IPOs and Academics--Upon registration you will sign/make corrections to your grounds pass form that you filled out online and take it to the security desk to get your grounds pass printed.
3) 2011 Participating IPOs and Academics--If you attended last year's session, your grounds pass will be waiting for you in this line when you register.

Immediately after registering your designated representative will proceed to the line/queue for to receive the SECONDARY PASS that is to be shared among all members of your organization.  This pass will be valid for the entire duration of the session and if lost or forgotten it cannot be replaced.

Registration times are as follows:
 
Sunday 6 May          12.00p.m. to 5:00p.m.
Monday 7 May          8.00 a.m. to 3:45p.m.
Tuesday 8 May          9.00a.m. to 3:45p.m.
Wednesday 9 May to 18 May        9:30a.m. to 3:45p.m.
Closed every day from 12.30 to 2:00 p.m.

The Registration Desk will be closed every day from 12:30 to 2:00p.m. for lunch-break. Accordingly, no ground-pass will be issued during the lunch-break. Exceptionally, registration may be conducted during lunch-break if a large number of people are still in line.

Make sure to bring the confirmation letter that you receive after pre-registering as well as a photo identification document to get a UN ground-pass. It should be noted that for security reasons, only official documents (passports, state-issued driver’s license and similar documents), are accepted. No other documents will be accepted.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at ngo@un.org or indigenous_un@un.org.
 
Thank you very much for your support.

Sincerely yours,

Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (SPFII)
Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD)
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/en/session-eleventh.html

Reminder: Call for submissions on indigenous peoples' languages and culture

Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Call for submissions on indigenous peoples' languages and culture

The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (EMRIP) is calling for submissions on the role of languages and culture in the protection and promotion of the rights and identity of indigenous peoples, its current mandated study in accordance with Human Rights Council Resolution 18/8 (September 2011), from:

• indigenous individuals and peoples and/or their representatives
• non-state actors including non-governmental organisations
• national human rights institutions
• any other relevant stakeholders

Submissions will need to be submitted by 17 February 2012 to be taken into account in the Expert Mechanism's study, a draft of which will be finalised in early April 2012 in preparation for the EMRIP's fifth session in July 2012. Please email submissions to Claire Charters at the following email address: ccharters@ohchr.org.

For more information, please see the website of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/EMRIP/Pages/EMRIPIndex.aspx

UNPFII Eleventh Session // Undécima Sesión

Pre-registration to attend the 11th Session of the Permanent Forum is now OPEN, please visit our website at http://social.un.org/index/IndigenousPeoples/UNPFIISessions/Eleventh.aspx

El pre-registro para asistir a la sesión 11 del Foro Permanente, está ABIERTO, visite el sitio web en http://social.un.org/index/indigenouses/Portada/SesionesUNPFII/UndecimaSesion.aspx

Tenth Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

16-27 May 2011
UN Headquarters, New York

Agenda

Pre-registration

Side Events

Documents

Provisional agenda for the tenth session of the Permanent Forum
on Indigenous Issues

1. Election of officers.
2. Adoption of the agenda and organization of work.
3. Follow-up to the recommendations of the Permanent Forum:
(a) Economic and social development;
(b) Environment;
(c) Free, prior and informed consent.
4. Human rights:
(a) Implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
(b) Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people and other United Nations human rights mechanisms.
5. Half-day discussion on Central and South America and the Caribbean.
6. Comprehensive dialogue with United Nations agencies and funds.
7. Future work of the Permanent Forum, including issues of the Economic and Social Council and emerging issues.
8. Draft agenda for the eleventh session of the Permanent Forum.
9. Adoption of the report of the Permanent Forum on its tenth session.

- Note. There is no special theme for the Tenth Session. The Permanent Forum has a biannual working method one policy year and one review year. 2011 will be a review year.

Pre-Registration

Online pre-registration is now open. Those who wish to attend the tenth session of the Permanent Forum must pre-register online by 1 May 2011.

NGOs with ECOSOC status, indigenous peoples' organizations and academics that are already registered and have participated in past sessions of the Permanent Forum:

Log in (all NGOs, IPOs and academics who have attended sessions in previous years)

I forgot my username/password

-----------------------------------------------------------

Indigenous peoples' organizations and academics that have not participated in previous sessions:

Step by step guide: Pre-registration of new organizations

Pre-Registration - indigenous peoples organizations

Pre-Registration - academics

Further information and FAQs on registration

Side events

Registration of side events is now open. The deadline for the submission of side event requests is 15 April. Due to a lack of availability of rooms, there will be significantly fewer side events than during previous sessions.

Side event request form (to be submitted by organizers of side events)

Guidelines for organizers of side events

DOCUMENTS Submitted by the Secretariat of UNPFI

Deadline extended until January 23 to apply for the workshop: Capacity Building for Indigenous and Local Communities, of the Caribbean region.

Deadline extended until January 23 to apply for the workshop: Capacity Building for Indigenous and Local Communities, of the Caribbean region.

Se amplía el plazo hasta el 23 de Enero para postular al taller: Creación de Capacidad para las Comunidades Indígenas y Locales, región Caribe.


Eighth Round Capacity Building Workshop for Indigenous and Local Communities, the Caribbean region

The Secretary of Biodiversity in collaboration with the Network of Indigenous Women's Biodiversity (IWBN) from the Latin America and the Caribbean, thanks to the generous financial support from the Government of Spain, a regional capacity building workshop for indigenous and local community representatives on effective participation in CBD processes, with a specific focus on Article 8(j) and ABS.will be held in Georgetown, from 16-18 March 2011.

The workshop aims at building and strengthening capacity for indigenous and local community women in order to ensure their full and effective participation in CBD processes and also to grow and strengthen the number of indigenous and local community women who follow and are involved in CBD processes by enlarging networks and outreaching to new participants.

We are inviting interested indigenous and local community organizations from the countries of the Caribbean region to nominate representatives by sending to the Secretariat an expression of interest or nomination by means of an official letter of designation addressed to the attention of the Executive Secretary (fax +1 514 288 6588 or to email: secretariat@cbd.int with a recent curriculum vitae of the nominee by 23 January 2011, for consideration in the selection process.

Participants selected will be notified by mid-February. Successful applicants will be provided with economy air travel to and from Georgetown, and subsistence and accommodation costs during the event.

Hortencia Hidalgo
Comunicación RMIB-LAC
comunicacionrmib.lac@gmail.com


Convocatoria Octavo taller Creación de Capacidad para las Comunidades
Indígenas y Locales, región Caribe.

La Secretaria de Diversidad Biológica en colaboración con la Red de Mujeres Indígenas sobre Biodiversidad (RMIB) de la región Latinoamérica y el Caribe, con el apoyo financiero del Gobierno de España, realiza el Taller de creación de capacidad subregional para los representantes de las comunidades indígenas y locales sobre la participación efectiva en los procesos del CDB, con un enfoque específico en el Articulo 8 (j), Conocimientos Tradicionales y Acceso y participación en los beneficios ABS. Se celebrara en la Ciudad de Georgetown, Guyana, del 16 al 18 de
Marzo de 2011.

El taller tiene como objetivo la construcción y al fortalecimiento de la capacidad de las mujeres de las comunidades indígenas y locales, a fin de garantizar su participación plena y efectiva en el proceso del CDB y, también para aumentar y fortalecer el número de mujeres de las comunidades indígenas y locales que siguen de cerca y participan en los procesos del CDB engrandeciendo las redes y los contactos directos con nuevos participantes.

Invitamos a las organizaciones de las comunidades indígenas y locales interesadas para que designen representantes enviando a la Secretaría una muestra de interés y un nombramiento, mediante una carta oficial de designación y un currículum vitae reciente. La carta oficial debe ir dirigida al Secretario Ejecutivo por fax al +1 514 288 6588 ó por correo electrónico como archivo adjunto escaneado a: secretariat@cbd.int antes del 23 de Enero de 2011, para ser considerados en el proceso de selección.

Los participantes serán seleccionados en base a una representación subregional justa de los países del Caribe y los Curriculum Vitae pertinentes y la capacidad para difundir la información derivada del taller.

Los participantes seleccionados recibirán financiamiento para participar en este taller de tres días y serán notificados a mediados de Febrero. A los Participantes seleccionados se les proveerá de un pasaje de avión en clase económica ida y vuelta a la Ciudad de Georgetown, y los gastos de comida y alojamiento durante el evento.

Hortencia Hidalgo
Comunicación RMIB-LAC
comunicacionrmib.lac@gmail.com

Sub-Regional Meeting of Indigenous representatives from Canada, the United States and the Caribbean region

Dear Indigenous Peoples' Representatives,

Greetings from the Summits of the Americas Secretariat (SAS) of the Organization of American States (OAS). This Secretariat is pleased to announce, in collaboration with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), the Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) and the Inuit Circumpolar Council [ Canada ] (ICC), a Sub-regional Meeting with Indigenous Peoples' representatives from the English-speaking countries of the Americas to be held in Ottawa ,Canada, on Monday, December 13, 2010.

The main purpose of the Sub-Regional Meeting of Indigenous representatives from Canada, the United States and the Caribbean region is to provide an opportunity to follow-up on the implementation of the April 2009 Declaration and Plan of Action of the III Indigenous Leaders Summit of the Americas (III ILSA) "Implementing the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas for Present and Future Generations" and the participation of Indigenous Peoples in the Inter-American System. It will also provide an opportunity to begin preparations for the IV ILSA in the context of the initial planning stages of the Sixth Summit of the Americas .

The Seminar will be open to the participation of anyone from the general public interested in this theme. If you would like to participate, please fill out the Registration Form and email it to amontilla@oas.org, with a copy to celestemckay@me.com, before December 8th, 2010. Please note that each participant must cover his/her own expenses.

For those who cannot attend the event, the Summit Secretariat is pleased to announce that the Summits Virtual Community (SVC) will be available for all those individuals interested in contributing to discussions. This Community offers its visitors the opportunity to register and participate in forums and discussion groups, as well as obtain materials, such as documents, videos, links, etc. In the SVC, the visitor can also share comments and opinions with other people who are interested in common themes. To participate in the Indigenous Peoples Group, please click here or visit: http://svc.summit-americas. org/groups .

Updated versions of the agenda and other relevant documents will be disseminated shortly. More information about this meeting will also be published in the Summits of the Americas Information Network at: www.summit-americas.org/cs_ meet.html and on the AFN's website at www.afn.ca.

For more information, please contact Andrea Montilla (AMontilla@oas.org or at 202.458.3347) or Celeste McKay (celestemckay@me.com or at 613.858.7070).

Kind regards,

Summits of the Americas Secretariat of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN)
Organization of American States (OAS)
Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC) Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC)

This sub-regional event is made possible in part through the generous support of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation

POLITICS: Civil Society Demands Voice at Americas Summit

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Nov 4 (IPS) - Caribbean civil society groups say they want to have direct input at the Fifth Summit of the Americas to be held in Trinidad and Tobago next April, and are urging hemispheric governments to begin implementing some of the 600 recommendations that have been agreed upon at previous summits dating back to 1994.

"We are happy that Trinidad and Tobago is focusing on implementation at the Apr. 17-19 summit, and we are lending our expertise to that process," said Dr. Kris Rampersad, director of Lobby, Advocacy, Research and Public Relations of the Network of NGOS of Trinidad and Tobago for the Advancement of Women.

She told IPS that at a two-day Caribbean Sub Regional Civil Society Forum held here over the weekend, delegates also agreed on the need for including civil society representatives in government delegations -- one of the commitments made at the Quebec Summit five years ago and reiterated at the last summit in Mar de Plata, but never implemented.

"It is time to deliver. Since Trinidad and Tobago, as host, is leading this call for implementation, it is an ideal opportunity that our government leads by example and start implementation from the home front, beginning at national level," Rampersad said.

"The Caribbean has in the past had relatively low-keyed involvement in the summit process. Now that it is being staged in the Caribbean, it gives the region an opportunity to redefine its roles and responsibilities within the hemisphere," she added.

The Summit of the Americas is held every three to four years, and brings together the region's 34 heads of state to discuss political, economic, social, and security issues.

Hazel Brown, coordinator of the Trinidad-based Network of NGOs, reminded delegates that "nothing will be handed to us -- we have to take it," and that the purpose of the forum was to allow for the establishment of a strong citizens' movement in this hemisphere of which the Caribbean is a vibrant part.

The forum here was organised by the Trinidad-based NGO, the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Canadian-based Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL) and held under the theme "Building Civil Society Capacity for Participation in the Summit Process and Follow-Up".

More than 100 NGOs and civil society groups were represented at the forum, which discussed issues such as human prosperity, environmental sustainability, energy security, democratic governance, and strengthening the summit process.

OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin said that the participation of civil society in next year's summit "cannot be a one-off activity".

"This engagement should be a continuous one, structured and well defined, and even beyond the Fifth Summit of the Americas. Civil society engagement is not a gesture, it is an obligation," he said.

But the forum here also noted the failure of the 34 hemispheric governments to implement many of the recommendations that had emerged from previous summits and recalled, for example, the 2003 Quebec summit, which produced at least 43 pages of recommendations.

"We, as part of a hemispheric group of civil society organisations -- the Active Democracy Network -- monitoring implementation of the summit mandates will launch an index of government compliance that will rank the governments based on analyses carried out by experts throughout in terms of implementation," Rampersad said.

"From preliminary data, it is clear that there has been regression in some of the areas. In others, governments have made some progress," she said, noting that in some cases "there has been no movement at all".

The Active Democracy Network's initial focus is on recommendations involving local government reform, freedom of expression, access to information and involvement by civil society in decision making.

For example, regional leaders committed in the Quebec Plan of Action to strengthen local government systems by making them more autonomous and active agents of political and administrative decentralisation.

"Instead, even despite the national consultations, in Trinidad and Tobago, for example, we are seeing evidence of reducing the powers of local government and increasing control by central government," Rampersad said.

At the summit in Quebec, the participating governments had also agreed to promote mechanisms to facilitate citizen participation in political life, and provide the resources to do so, including information, training and technical support and financial resources.

Rampersad believes that with the summit being held in the Caribbean for the first time ever, regional countries, and more specifically the Trinidad and Tobago government, should use the opportunity to set an example.

"Here is a very good place to start. We have measurable data of where implementation can be improved. We must go beyond the rhetoric and act on it," she added.

Arthur Gray, advisor to the National Coordinator of the Fifth Summit Secretariat, said that the summit, apart from the historic significance of being held in a small island developing state, provides an opportunity for the Caribbean to shape a hemispheric agenda "that addresses the issues and themes that are of direct relevance to our region even as it lays the foundations of a new structure of Inter-American relations that is in consonance with the urgent realities of our time."

The delegates at the just concluded Caribbean Civil Society Forum say they want it to become the core of a network of Caribbean civil society organisations (CSO) that will work to advance CSO involvement in the summit process, sharing expertise and experiences.

In addition, they have also pledged to form national umbrella CSOs to lobby their governments to hold national consultations that would feed into the regional compilation of civil society recommendations.

Rampersad said that the forum also agreed that "there be meaningful and effective spaces for civil society interface with Government at the summit and to dialogue on recommendations for the Summit plan of action".

Author: Peter Richards
Article Source: IPS News

Caribbean EPA with Europe to be Signed

Georgetown, May 16 (Prensa Latina) The Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Commission (EC) and the Caribbean Forum of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) is to be signed in July 2008.

See full story at:
http://www.prensa-latinaenglish.com/article.asp?ID={01B1AC0C-6A4C-4C38-AA32-7C42E22B6159}&language=EN

Call for Nominations Equator Prize 2008

El texto en español se encuentra después del texto en inglés.

Dear friends and colleagues,

It is our great pleasure to announce the opening of the call for nominations for the Equator Prize 2008: Celebrating Community Success in Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Reduction.

This marks the fourth round of the internationally renowned Equator Prize. Awarded biennially, the Equator Prize recognizes community-based initiatives that demonstrate extraordinary achievement in reducing poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in the equatorial belt. Prize winners receive worldwide recognition for their work as well as an opportunity to help shape national and global policy and practice in the field.

Twenty-five community organizations will be honored with the Equator Prize 2008 and US$5,000 each. Five of these communities will receive special recognition and an additional US $15,000. Special recognition will be given in the following categories: one for each region of eligibility (Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean), one to the initiative that best exemplifies community approaches to adapt to climate change, and one to the initiative that best exemplifies the conservation of agricultural biodiversity. The Equator Prize will be presented in October 2008, in Barcelona, Spain, at the IUCN World Conservation
Congress. All winners will have the opportunity to showcase their work in the "Poble" Dialogue Space at the Congress.

The Equator Prize 2008 nomination process will be open through May 31, 2008. Details on the criteria for the Prize, information on the award process, and the online nomination system can be accessed through the Equator Initiative website at www.equatorinitiative.org.

We encourage you to nominate qualified community initiatives that are active in environmental conservation and sustainable development within the equatorial region. Self-nominations are welcome.

Please disseminate this announcement widely to your electronic newsletters and networks! With your help and nominations, we can continue to honor and celebrate exceptional communities around the world, support their invaluable work and grow a stronger network of community best practice in biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction.

We look forward to receiving your nomination(s)!

Warm regards.

Eileen de Ravin and the Equator Initiative Team
UNDP Equator Initiative
405 Lexington Avenue, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10174
212-457-1709
www.equatorinitiative.org
equatorinitiative@undp.org

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Estimados amigos y colegas,

Con gran placer anunciamos la convocatoria global para las nominaciones al Premio Ecuatorial 2008: Celebrando éxitos comunitarios en la conservación de la biodiversidad y la reducción
de la pobreza.

Este lanzamiento marca la cuarta ronda del internacionalmente reconocido Premio Ecuatorial. Este premio, el cual es otorgado cada dos años, reconoce iniciativas comunitarias que demuestran logros extraordinarios en la reducción de la pobreza mediante la conservación y el uso sostenible de la diversidad biológica en el cinturón ecuatorial. Los ganadores del premio reciben reconocimiento mundial por su trabajo, asi como la oportunidad de contribuir a la elaboración de políticas nacionales y mundiales y a la práctica en el terreno.

El Premio Ecuatorial 2008 honrará a veinticinco organizaciones comunitarias, las cuales recibirán $5,000 dólares estadounidenses cada una. Cinco de estas comunidades recibirán un reconocimiento especial y $15,000 dólares adicionales. El reconocimiento especial se otorgará en las siguientes categorías: uno para cada región elegible (África, Asia y el Pacífico y América Latina y el Caribe), a una iniciativa que mejor ejemplifique esfuerzos comunitarios para adaptarse al cambio climático y uno a la iniciativa que mejor ejemplifique la conservación de la diversidad biológica agrícola. El Premio Ecuatorial será presentado en octubre del 2008, en Barcelona, España, en el Congreso Mundial de Conservación del UICN. Todos los ganadores tendrán la oportunidad de mostrar su trabajo en el Espacio de Diálogo "Poble" del Congreso.

Se aceptarán nominaciones para el premio hasta el 31 de mayo del 2008. Detalles sobre los criterios para el premio, información sobre el proceso de nominación y el sistema de nominación en línea se pueden encontrar en el sitio web de la Iniciativa Ecuatorial en www.equatorinitiative.org.

Le exhortamos a nominar iniciativas comunitarias que trabajan para la conservación del medio ambiente y el desarrollo sostenible en la región ecuatorial. Organizaciones cualificadas son bienvenidas a auto-postularse.

¡Por favor, difunda ampliamente este anuncio en sus boletines electrónicos y demas redes de comunicación! Con su ayuda y con las nominaciones, podemos honrar y reconocer comunidades
excepcionales al rededor del mundo, apoyar su labor incomparable y desarrollar una fuerte red de comunidades que práctican métodos eficientes para conservar la biodiversidad y reducir la pobreza.

Esperamos con gran interés recibir su(s) nominación(es)!

Saludos cordiales.

Eileen de Ravin and the Equator Initiative Team
UNDP Equator Initiative
405 Lexington Avenue, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10174
212-457-1709
www.equatorinitiative.org
equatorinitiative@undp.org