The Voices of Future Generations Children's Initiative, along with the CISDL and other partners, hosted an online International Roundtable on Indigenous Children's Voices & Rights in celebration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.
The event sought to strengthen and promote Indigenous Children’s Rights and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It engaged young leaders from different Nations as well as specialists and experts working to promote Indigenous Peoples' and children’s rights in an interactive and intergenerational dialogue.
The event featured VoFG Indigenous Child Author Adelyn Sophie Newman-Ting, whose speech addressed the importance of preserving and promoting indigenous languages, as well as Indigenous Child Ambassador Bella Morrisseau, who expressed her concerns about indigenous people´s access to clean water and sanitation. We also had the participation of Ms. Afnan Dawoud, an indigenous child ambassador of the REEM foundation and environmental activist in the Middle East region.
The keynote speech was delivered by Ms. Barbara Filion (Culture Program Officer for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO and lead on the UN Decade for Indigenous Language) in representation of CCUNESCO.
Ms. Elaina Cox (Senior Researcher, First Nations Treaties for SDGs Project, University of Waterloo), Ms. Eva Wu (Senior Researcher, First Nations Treaties for SDGs Project, University of Waterloo), and Adv. Wayne Garnons-Williams (National Sixties Scoop Healing Foundation of Canada Chair) shared about their research project on the SDGs and indigenous treaty innovations.
Honoured speakers also included Master Nico Roman (Junior Editor of Harmony Online Journal, Chair, Cambridge Schools Eco-Council & Child Ambassador, VoFG CI), Ms. Portia Garnons-Williams (Senior Editor of Harmony Online Journal & University of Toronto student), Dr. Aruna Alexander (United Nations Association in Canada, Quinte Branch), Ms. Lesley Hayman (Professor, Loyalist College School of Business and member of United Nations Association in Canada, Quinte Branch), Ms. Courtney Defriend (Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange, First Nations Health Authority), Ms. Jaydum Hunt (Interim Director, Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre, WISC), and Ms. Skw’akw’as (Sunshine) Dunstan-Moore (Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s Youth Advisory Group Member). All participated actively on the roundtable and made insightful contributions to the dialogue, which addressed relevant questions including:
How can we celebrate and encourage Indigenous children’s views and stories? Why are Indigenous languages so important, and how can we promote education and culture for sustainability, worldwide? How can we foster the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which promises that children’s voices will be heard in decision-making that concerns them, and how can we inspire people worldwide to help advance the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while engaging with and learning from Indigenous Peoples’ insights?
The event was chaired by Prof. Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger (University of Cambridge / University of Waterloo / CISDL).
A full recording of the event is available below:
Recommended resources by the speakers and special guests engaged in the dialogue:
Centre for International Sustainable Development Law (CISDL)
First Nations Treaties & SDGs Project, School of Environment, Enterprise and Development (SEED), University of Waterloo
Reem Green Leaders (Advocacy Instagram account by Afnan Dawoud)
Event Gallery
