The event will be held at Mount Batur Bali, which has been recognized as a World`s Heritage and one of the Global Geoparks designated by the UNESCO.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Alliance of Archipelago Indigenous People (AMAN) will hold the peak event to commemorate the Worlds Indigenous Peoples Day in Bali, on August 9, 2015.

The Worlds Indigenous Peoples Day was established by the United Nations and is commemorated as an international day every August 9, AMANs Deputy Secretary General Rukka Sombolinggi stated during a press conference here on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the celebrations of the Worlds Indigenous Peoples Day in Indonesia will be held across the nation through the Archipelago Festival held on August 8-17, which will also coincide with the Independence Day celebrations in Indonesia.

The event will be held at Mount Batur Bali, which has been recognized as a Worlds Heritage and one of the Global Geoparks designated by the UNESCO.

Sombolinggi explained that the commemoration of the 2015 Worlds Indigenous Peoples Day is based on the theme, "Ensuring Indigenous Peoples Health and Well-being" since the indigenous communities have always been marginalized with regard to national development.

The theme puts the spotlight on the issue of the indigenous peoples access to healthcare services, as improving the health of indigenous people remains a critical challenge for the indigenous communities, member states, and the United Nations.

"We want to raise awareness among the people that the indigenous communities are part of our society and must be included to participate in the nations development," she affirmed.

"We hope President Joko Widodo will attend to officially inaugurate this event and announce a Presidential Decree on the Establishment of the Indigenous Peoples Special Task-force," he said.

The UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Peoples Rights Victoria Tauli-Carpuz will also attend the event.

With regard to the Indigenous Peoples Special Task Force, Sombolinggi stated that it will be a milestone for the indigenous people and the governments reconciliation, which in the past, was shrouded in several misunderstandings, and most of the times had sparked conflicts.

As an international event, AMAN invited no less than 500 representatives of indigenous communities around the world, such as Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and Peru.

Some Bali-based foreign communities will also join the event that comprises various activities, such as yoga, healing therapy, meditation, and art and cultural performances.

According to a survey, Indonesia alone has no less than 70 million indigenous people, with only 17 million being registered as members of AMAN.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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