From UNESCO.org

Indigenous Peoples' Innovative and Emerging uses of ICTs

Event date: Tuesday, 26 February, 2013
Event time slot: 4:05pm - 5:30pm

Concise session description and agenda:

Article 15 of WSIS Declaration states: "In the evolution of the Information Society, particular attention must be given to the special situation of Indigenous peoples, as well as to the preservation of their heritage and their cultural legacy".

The session will discuss ways in which indigenous peoples have used ICTs to: preserve and promote their cultural heritage, indigenous knowledge, traditions and languages; exchange experiences and best practices; and manage their heritage, including landscape and biological diversity. We will present the report "Indigenous Peoples, WSIS and Emerging uses of ICTs". The session outcomes will include recommendations on gaps, achievements and emerging and future trends for indigenous peoples and local communities with respect to C8 and to UNESCO's work.

Names of the organizer(s) of the workshop and their affiliation to various stakeholder groups:

Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (LINKS Programme, UNESCO; The International Indigenous ICT Task Force (International NGO)

Names and affiliations of the panelists, discussants and the remote moderator:

• Ang Dawa Sherpa (Nepal) helped to form the Indigenous Women Federation. She also served with the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NFIN) and is a founder member of the Association of Nepalese Indigenous Journalists (ANIJ). She has also been an executive member and treasurer of her community organization, the Sherpa Association of Nepal (SAN).

• Winnie Kodi (Sudan) is from the Nuba Mountains and is a BA communications graduate. She is a communications assistant at Indigenous Information Network and Africa Indigenous Womens Organisation. She maintains their websites and designs, edits, and assists with publishing their multiple publications like the Nomadic News Magazine and an online newsletter. Winnie also assisted with coordination of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) at the recent Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-11) in Hyderabad, India.
• Hindou Oumarou (Chad) is the coordinator of the Association des Femmes Peuples Autocthones du Tchad (AFPAT), a community based organization of Mbororo women. She is the Sahel regional repre-sentative for the Indigenous Peoples of Africa Coordinating Committee (IPACC). With a background in indigenous peoples' rights, she is the indigenous peoples' representative to the UN Environmental Programme's Major Group for Indigenous Peoples.
• Teanau Tuiono (Cook Islands) is an expert working at the intersection of ICTs, Indigenous Peoples Rights and Education. He has a diverse range of experience with and for Governments, NGOS, UN agencies and the private sector. He is particularly interested in how ICTs can support intergeneration transmission of Indigenous Knowledge. He is currently working for CORE Education as the Māori Medium Publishing Project Coordinator.
• Roberto Múkaro Borrero (USA) is a traditionally sanctioned chief of the indigenous Taíno community. He participated in the 2003 and 2005 WSIS summits and has been involved with the Strategy Council of the Global Alliance for ICT and Development (UN-DESA GAID), the WSIS International Indigenous Steering Committee (2005-2006), and the International Indigenous ICT Task Force (IITF). He is also author of the UNESCO commissioned report "Indigenous Peoples, WSIS and Emerging Uses of ICTs".
• Ann-Kristin Hakansson (Sweden) is president of the International Indigenous Peoples' ICT Task Force (IITF).
• Uriel Ortiz Aguilar (Mexico) is a radio host and producer focused on the dissemination of indigenous culture and languages. As a proponent of the use of information and communication technologies in social projects related to indigenous peoples, he promotes capacity-building in new technologies and broadcasting, especially among teachers and youth.
• Max Ooft (Surinam) is Policy Officer in the Bureau of the Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname (VIDS) which is the national structure of the traditional indigenous authorities of Suriname, uniting the chiefs of all indigenous villages. Max is also supporting UNESCO in the process to develop a UNESCO Policy on Indigenous Peoples. In the past, he has been technical assistant in the regional Amazonian indigenous organization COICA, and regional secretary in the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests.

Contact person:

Name: Serena Heckler
Organization: UNESCO
E-mail: s.heckler@unesco.org