UNESCO message for the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples – Migration and movement
Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of on the occasion of International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples – Migration and movement, 9 August 2018
Indigenous peoples are among the most vulnerable populations in the world. This International Day is an opportunity to raise public awareness of their precarious situation, particularly in relation to migration, which is the Day's theme in 2018.
Migration influences the way of life of many indigenous peoples, whether these be nomadic pastoral societies who follow the transhumance calendar, such as the Red Fulani cattle herders in West Africa whose seasonal migration covers several thousand kilometres, or hunter-gatherer peoples who travel several hundred square kilometres, in the Kalahari Desert and the Congo Basin, for example, in order to benefit from the unique resources of their ecosystem and to preserve a delicate balance.
However, indigenous peoples are now increasingly exposed to forced migrations, which are often the result of environmental disasters or social and political conflicts. Driven from their territories, they see their lifestyles and cultures disintegrate and vanish, often without any prospect of returning.
Our Organization is working with indigenous peoples to help them to meet the challenges ahead, in line with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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