Message from Ms. Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the Occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

9 August 2022

"Remember the sky that you were born under, know each of the star's stories. Remember the moon, know who she is. (…) Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their tribes, their families, their histories, too."

For thousands of years, indigenous peoples have developed extensive knowledge of the land, skies and seasons, as American poet Joy Harjo of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation describes so well. Over the years, this deep reservoir of understanding has been put to a number of practical uses, from planting crops to predicting weather.

At a time when our natural environment faces new and perilous threats, these cultures, languages and knowledge systems are an incredible resource to draw on in our efforts to ensure sustainability and fight climate change. Indeed, a quarter of the world's land area is traditionally managed, used or occupied by indigenous peoples.

As we celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, UNESCO is committed to ensuring that these communities are able to fully play their role as actors of change, guardians of natural resources and carriers of unique worldviews, knowledge and skills.

Firstly, UNESCO supports the safeguarding and transmission of collective memory and cultural heritage, notably through the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. In 2021, for example, this led to the pottery of the Awajún people being inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, as an example of their harmonious relationship with nature. Indeed, for thousands of years, Awajún women have developed extensive knowledge of the plants they use to make and decorate pots – and passed this expertise onto others.

Secondly, we work to protect indigenous languages, many of which are in danger. Each indigenous language is a treasure overflowing with history, culture, values and knowledge developed over millennia. When an indigenous language dies out, so too does a well of knowledge – and through the UNESCO-led International Decade of Indigenous languages, which started this year, we are seeking to raise awareness of this issue.

Thirdly, we are working to shine a spotlight on indigenous knowledge. In particular, our Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems programme seeks to bring indigenous and local knowledge into the science–policy interface. As part of this programme, we are currently supporting Malawi and Thailand to incorporate indigenous and local knowledge in their National Ecosystem Assessments. The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, led by UNESCO, is also an excellent opportunity in this regard – including through the work of our Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission with indigenous knowledge-holders in Pacific countries.

This year, the International Day focuses on the vital role that indigenous women play in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge. To promote their actions and underline their importance, UNESCO named Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio a Goodwill Ambassador for Indigenous Peoples in 2019. As she recently said, "We must learn to be more supportive and empathetic with each other: this is the key to future change, the necessary basis for any progress."

This is not a local combat – it is universal. It is about defending the fundamental rights of every human being. Indigenous peoples are not people of the past, they are people of the future, from whom we should draw inspiration. Because if indigenous peoples can teach us one thing, it is this: nature and humankind can coexist.