The Organization of American States (OAS) will celebrate the VIII Inter-American Week for Indigenous Peoples, from August 11 to 15, under the theme: "Through the Voice of Indigenous Women: Visibility, Leadership, Rights, and Economic Autonomy."
This initiative reaffirms the commitment of the Member States of the hemispheric organization to the promotion and protection of the rights and dignity of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.
This year, the Week will place the voices of Indigenous women at the center of the inter-American dialogue, focusing on their visibility, leadership, rights, and economic autonomy. This vision is aligned with the principle: "Nothing about us, without us."
The Inter-American Week for Indigenous Peoples was established by the OAS Permanent Council in August 2018, following the adoption of the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2016 and the approval of the 2017–2021 Plan of Action in 2017.
The inaugural ceremony will take place on Monday, August 11 at 10:00 EDT (14:00 GMT), in the Hall of the Americas at OAS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. It will feature —among others— the participation of: The Chair of the Permanent Council and Permanent Representative of Canada, Ambassador Stuart Savage; the OAS Secretary General, Albert Ramdin; the OAS Assistant Secretary General; Laura Gil, the Ambassador of Colombia to the United Nations, Leonor Zalabata and Prominent Indigenous women leaders
The event will be broadcast live - with interpretation in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese- on the OAS Website and the OAS Facebook page
The OAS will publish video messages and profiles of Indigenous women leaders on its website. This Week offers a unique opportunity to listen directly to Indigenous women from across the Americas, learn about their proposals, and strengthen the recognition of their leadership within their communities, their countries, and multilateral spaces.
All activities will be open to the public and are available here.
Activities taking place during the week:
Monday 11
• Opening Ceremony
10:00 EDT (14:00 GMT)
Hall of the Americas, OAS Main Building, 200 17th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
• Reception in honor of Inter-American Week / Opening remarks Looms Peru Exhibition
12:00 EDT (14:00 GMT)
Patio Azteca, OAS Main Building. | 200 17th Street N.W Washington, D.C.
• National Dialogue with Guatemala's Indigenous and Ancestral Authorities
14:00, Guerrero Room, OAS Main Building. 200 17th St. NW,Washington, D.C.
Tuesday 12
• Creators Intellectual property and revalorization of handicraft culture in
Bolivia and Mexico
12:00 EDT (14:00 GMT)
Instituto Cultural Mexicano, | 2829 16th St. NW, Washington D.C.
• International Decade of the World's Indigenous Languages: Progress and Challenges in the
Americas
15:00 EDT (19:00 GMT)
Facebook Live @OEAInclusion
Wednesday, August 13
• Presentation of artworks: Canada and Mexico / Donation of artwork by Colombia
9:30 EDT (13:30 GMT)
Muro de los Pueblos Indígenas, OAS Main Building. | 200 17th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
• Special Session of the Permanent Council
10:00 EDT (14:00 GMT)
Simón Bolívar Room, OAS Main Building. | 200 17th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
• Launching of the Intersections exhibition
13:00 EDT (17:00 GMT)
Art Museum of the Americas, 201 18th St. NW, Washington, D.C.
Thursday 14
• Panel discussion inspired by the exhibition "Intersections"
14:00 EDT (18:00 GMT)
Art Museum of the Americas , 20118th Street N.W, Washington, D.C.
Friday 14
• Placement of the Popol Vuh facsimile
11:00 EDT (15:00 GMT)
Colombus Memorial Library, 19th Street & Constitution Ave. NW, Washington D.C.
