International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is globally celebrated on 9th August

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is globally celebrated on 9^th August to commemorate the inaugural session of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations which took place in 1982. On this day, people from around the world are encouraged to spread the UN’s message on the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples.

Indigenous Peoples Organization at the United Nations [Photo: UN]

The Government of Cambodia has approved the 29^th commemoration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples by the Department of Ethnic Minority of the Ministry of Rural Development. The global theme for 2023 is: “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-Determination.”

This year 2023, indigenous people’s organizations and communities will celebrate the International Day of Indigenous Peoples on 11 August 2023 at SUN & MOON, Riverside Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The theme for this year is: “Enhancing of Engagement and Partnership between Indigenous Peoples with the Government and Development Partners,” and “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-Determination.”

Indigenous youths in Cambodia [Photo: IPs Day]

The International Day of Indigenous Peoples will be conducted on 11 August 2023 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at SUN & MOON, Riverside Hotel at Waterfront, Corner of Preah Monivong Bridge (93) & Preah Norodom Blvd (41), Village 10, Sangkat Tonle Bassac, Chamkar Mon, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Information about the world’ Indigenous Peoples

Approximately 476 million indigenous peoples are living across 90 countries, representing less than 5 percent of the world’s population, but account for 15 percent of the poorest. While there is no internationally agreed definition of indigenous peoples, “there are criteria that help define indigenous peoples”, the most important of which is the rights to self-identification. They speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures.

Indigenous Jarai in Ratanakiri [Source: Fong Chompey]

Cambodia is diverse nations that has different Indigenous peoples among the provinces. There are estimated to comprise approximately 1.25 percent (183,831 people) [1] of the national population. The Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) has categorized indigenous peoples into 22 groups[2] spread across 15 provinces [3] consisting of approximately 455 indigenous communities.