ISLAMABAD  -  International Day of the World’s Indigenous People will be marked on August 9 (Wednesday)across the globe.

The purpose is to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous popula­tion. The day also recognizes the achievements and contri­butions that indigenous peo­ple make to improve world issues such as environmental protection.

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous People is celebrated on August 9 each year to recognize the first UN Working Group on Indig­enous Populations meeting in Geneva in 1982. On December 23, 1994, 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). The assembly also decided to continue observ­ing the International Day of Indigenous People annually during the second decade. The decade’s goal was to fur­ther strengthen international cooperation for solving prob­lems faced by indigenous peoples in different sectors including culture, education, health, human rights, the en­vironment, and social and economic development.

In April 2000, the Commis­sion on Human Rights adopt­ed a resolution to establish the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues that was endorsed by the Economic and Social Council. The fo­rum’s mandate is to discuss indigenous issues related to culture, economic and social development, education, the environment, health, and hu­man rights.