International day of the world's indigenous peoples is celebrated every year on Aug. 9. This day is commemorated to honor indigenous people for their contributions to society and shed light on the issues they face.

The United Nations (UN) began celebrating this day after a resolution was passed on Dec. 23, 1994, to raise awareness about indigenous groups.

Indigenous people, also known as native people or aboriginals, are culturally distinct ethnic groups who are native to a place that was once colonized and settled by another ethnic group.

The UN has set this year's theme for the day as -- “Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract.” The agency also calls for the inclusion and participation of indigenous people in the constitution of a system. The UN demands the new social contract to be based on genuine participation and partnership of indigenous people that will ensure equal opportunities, rights, dignity and freedom for all.

Here are some interesting facts about indigenous people:

  • 476 million indigenous people are living in 90 countries across the world. This accounts for 6.2 % of the total world population.
  • It is estimated that indigenous people are nearly three times more likely to live in extreme poverty than their non-indigenous counterparts. Indigenous people account for 15% of the world's extremely poor.
  • The 47% of all indigenous people in employment have no education compared to 17 % of non-indigenous people.
  • There are more than 5000 indigenous communities in the world speaking around 4000 different languages.
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Representational image pixabay

Here are some quotes that will help you understand the importance of indigenous people and the need for developing an inclusive social contract:

  1. "Although we are in different boats you in your boat and we in our canoe we share the same river of life." - Oren Lyons
  2. "Indigenous people believe that Man belongs to the World; civilized people believe that the World belongs to Man." - Daniel Quinn
  3. "Since the beginning, Native Peoples lived a life of being in harmony with all that surrounds us. It is a belief that all humankind is related to each other. Each has a purpose, spirit and sacredness. It is an understanding with the Great Spirit or Creator that we will follow these ways. And in this understanding, we believe we are related to all other living species." - Dennis Banks
  4. "We are not myths of the past, ruins in the jungle, or zoos. We are people and we want to be respected, not to be victims of intolerance and racism." - Rigoberta Menchu
  5. "Solutions will not be found while Indigenous people are treated as victims for whom someone else must find solutions."- Malcolm Fraser
  6. "I am against the fact that a settler minority should impose an entire system of values on indigenous people."- Steven Biko
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