By Jose Kavi
New Delhi, August 7, 2019: Several tribal groups in India plan to observe the silver jubilee of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples with a three-day program.
Tribal cultural groups from across India will attend the major celebration on August 9-11 in New Delhi. Delegates from neighboring countries are also expected.
India Indigenous Peoples and All Adivasis/Tribal Delhi-NCR will organize the celebrations in collaboration with more than 50 tribal organizations and groups, says leaflet announcing the program.
The celebration aims to celebrate tribal people’s distinct identity, culture, history, language on a common platform and bring awareness among tribal groups about constitutional provisions, rights, cultures, customs and practices.
It will also help tribal groups to assert their social, cultural and political rights and promote unity of cultures and communities, the leaflet claims.
The organizers say their communities have suffered “long-drawn injustices, exploitations, exclusions and unsustainable human actions that have irreparably damaged the earth.”
The three-day programs include pubic meeting at Jantar Mantar on August 9, Adivasi cultural events and panel discussion on the second day. Adivasi cultural procession, fashion show, cultural dance will form the final day’s program.
The last two days program will be held at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
The United Nations General Assembly on December 23, 1994, passed a resolution to observe August 9 as the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. This was done to reaffirming the rights of indigenous peoples around the globe.