International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

The National Council of Indigenous Peoples in the Diaspora (CONPID) on this day of commemoration of the recognition and struggles of indigenous peoples expresses:

A fraternal greeting to each one of our Indigenous relatives residing in their original territories in the continent of ABYA YALA. Our solidarity specially with our Indigenous relatives displaced on Turtle Island, and in any other place where they find themselves displaced.

We as indigenous peoples living in the diaspora, claim this day not only as a date to commemorate indigenous peoples, but also as a day to recognize our ancestral wisdom and the importance that this has in our daily lives.

We lament that colonization has transformed our ancestral thoughts and teachings since the invasion of our territories - this being a form of oppression that leads to the devaluation of our identity and further divides us. This change has forced us to be dependent on a colonial Eurocentric culture that continues to influence our Indigenous values ​​which are rooted in ancestral knowledge and practices. 

Therefore, on this day, WE REMEMBER THAT:

·       We are living, resilient, resistant peoples who exist, and who continue to fight for the recognition of our rights and for having a visible space.

·       On this day of commemoration, indigenous peoples must be recognized for the contribution they add in their respective territories, including contributions to social and economic development.

·       As Indigenous peoples, we contribute to the protection of our mother earth of which we are guardians, caretakers, and protectors. We sustain these responsibilities in the face of man's constant unconsciousness to obtain a capitalist neoliberal development of our ancestral territories, which is ending our existence and our natural resources. We speak out today and make a call to others to stand in solidarity with our struggle and our survival.

·       We continue to see the lack of commitment from states and governments to international conventions and agreements in favor of human rights and the rights of Indigenous peoples.

·       We continue to demand respect for our ancestral organizational, spiritual entities as well as our ancestral values. These must be inalienable and perpetuated since they were taken away since the invasion of our homelands.

Finally, we thank our elders – our grandfathers and grandmothers – for their teachings. We will continue to advance with strength and attitude until we transfer our knowledge to the next generations.

To all of you: we invite you to share with our Indigenous communities and to know the spiritual life and wisdom of our brothers and sisters, our grandparents and grandmothers. They will open their arms and hearts to you and will receive you with humility and solidarity, but above all, with relevance and identity.

CONPID Authorities,