Webinar: Indigenous Peoples

The tenth edition of the UNESCO webinar series "Inclusion in the time of COVID-19" aims to exchange experiences and expertise on the measures to address the COVID-19 crisis at the global and local levels. The focus will be on the social dimensions of “leaving no one behind” and on actions taken to fight against the growing incidents of racism and discrimination.

The webinar targets national/local policymakers and stakeholders, international and regional organizations, academics, students and NGOs. Speakers will include global experts and city authorities from UNESCO’s International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities – ICCAR.

This webinar series focuses on thematic areas that shed light on the visceral forms of discrimination that exist in our societies. It seeks to unlock a deeper understanding of a number of critical issues underlying the pandemic in order to act in the present and anticipate the future.

The tenth edition will focus on the rights of indigenous peoples who are disproportionately affected by the pandemic, exposing them to threats on their health and well-being, and jeopardizing the security of their habitats and environments. The systemic failures of our societies to provide them with adequate protection are even more compounded by the gaps in communication with public institutions on health-related directives in certain communities. In order to address these biases, it is essential to include indigenous peoples in decision-making processes at both local and national levels toshare their voices and leadership.

This webinar will discuss the impacts of the crisis on indigenous peoples, and the importance of crafting context-specific local responses that will protect their fundamental human rights.

Speakers
• Mayor Pierre Corbeil, Mayor Val d’Or, Canada
• Irma Pineda Santiago, Representative to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)
• Francisco Calí Tzay, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
• Susanna Lörstrand Unga, Sami Reindeer herder

Moderator
• Arleen Pimentel, Permanent Delegation of the Dominican Republic to UNESCO