Statement on Communication, Education and Public Awareness

Document no. UNEP/CBD/COP/9/25
Agenda Item 4.17

International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) Statement on Communication, Education and Public Awareness


Dear Madame Chair,

On behalf of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), I am reading our comments on Agenda Item no 4.17 related to Communication, Education and Public Awareness (CEPA) documents no. UNEP/CBD/COP/9/25.

Communication and education has allowed us to accomplish an environment of peace, freedom, social justice, equity, full exercise of our rights for the sustainable use of the Biodiversity of indigenous peoples.

Since time immemorial, Indigenous Peoples have had the symbols and codes of communication. These have been tools which allowed the holistic development as individuals and collective beings.

In present time, communication and education are the ‘spine’ of our identity and global integration of Indigenous Peoples and this has allowed us to strengthen and apply the real labor of communication, education and sensitization society, for living in harmony with nature and the global society.

We call upon the Parties to implement the Program of Work and allow the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in the work of CEPA as a key stakeholder in achieving the success of this PoW.

We acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of the EU on the recommendation of regional training on CEPA. However, we stress that these trainings should include the participation of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

We again urge the parties to highlight and incorporate ‘the Central Role of the Indigenous Peoples and the Local Communities in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity’ as one of the key messages in the CEPA programme of work. All key messages should be translated, in collaboration with the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities, into indigenous and local languages and broadcast/disseminate the same in community radio, media and include in the formal and non-formal education.

We support the proposal to celebrate 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. However, we once again urge the Parties to ensure the full and effective participation of the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities in the celebration of the Year of Biodiversity.

We acknowledge the inclusion of the representative of the Indigenous Peoples in the Informal Advisory Committee (IAC) on CEPA and we look forward to a useful collaboration in future. The IIFB urges the implementation of Agenda for Action 2008/2010 in partnership with the Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. It should be noted that Indigenous Peoples have organized themselves in order to work on implementation of CEPA programmes of work. The launching of the indigenous portal in 2007 which is available in four languages, in collaboration with the Indigenous ICT Task Force, and the initiative to formulate a CEPA Working Group are remarkable initiatives of the indigenous peoples in the implementation of CEPA programme of work.

We welcome all parties, civil societies, UN agencies and others to visit our portal at http://indigenousportal.com.

We urge parties, donors and international organization to support Indigenous Peoples’ initiatives in the implementation of CEPA’s programme of work.

The IIFB WG on CEPA went through the document UNEP/CBD/COP/9/25 and urge the Parties to include ‘parties’ in the draft decision 4 after the beginning word –invites. Henceforth the draft decision should be read as:
“Invites parties, interested donors and relevant international organization to provide adequate and predictable financial resources for implementation of the CEPA program of work.”

The IIFB also urges the parties to include the words “Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (ILC)” in the draft decision no. 6. And it should be read as:
“Invites parties, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and relevant International Organizations to enhance the implementation at National level the program of work of CEPA and coordinate their efforts for the celebration of 2010 International Year on Biodiversity and submit their report to the Executive Secretary.”

Madame Chair, we would also like to comment on the draft decision no. 2 of UNEP/CBD/COP/9/25 Add.1. Here, we would like to remind the parties about COP 8 decision VIII/6 that the indigenous peoples’ and local communities’ representative have been included in the national advisory committees for the implementation of the CEPA programmes of work. Therefore, we like to suggest that the decision no. 2 should be read as:
“Encourages all parties to create national committees including Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to celebrate the Year and invites all international organizations to mark this event;”

Thank you.