. Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) has intensified preparations to celebrate the 32nd International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9 at the Khula Manch in Kathmandu.
The FNJ is celebrating this year’s day not only as a formal celebration but also as a historic campaign to present the voices of the rights, identity, language, culture and self-determination of the indigenous nationalities of Nepal to the world. NEFIN President Nima Hyolmo Lama said that preparations are underway to establish the day as a strong movement for the acquisition of rights by involving around 35,000 indigenous nationalities in the Khula Manch. According to him, this program will spread the message of unity, diversity and common rights of Nepal’s indigenous peoples to the national and international community.”This year, we are preparing to give a message to the world through the International Day of the World,” said Amrit Bahadur Sunuwar, vice-president and coordinator of the publicity committee.
According to him, this year’s Indigenous Peoples Day will be celebrated as a festival of cultural and food items.
FNJ General Secretary Bimal Saru Magar said that the Open Forum has been chosen to organize the Day in a new style this year.
Stating that around two million indigenous nationalities live in the Kathmandu Valley alone, he said extensive preparations were underway with the target of attending at least 35,000 participants.
According to the federation, a 201-member main organizing committee has been formed to make the preparations effective.
Various ethnic member organizations, provincial and district coordination committees, youths, women, students and cultural groups are actively involved in the preparation of the program.
Grand celebration of culture, identity and originality
Indigenous Peoples Day is expected to be a special occasion to observe the unique culture, art, tradition and lifestyle of more than 56 indigenous nationalities of Nepal.
The program will showcase and sell traditional food items of different communities, traditional handicrafts, ethnic costumes, cultural materials, and traditional musical instruments and lifestyles. Artists from different ethnic communities will also present Nepal’s indigenous diversity through their unique dances, songs, musical performances and cultural performances. On the occasion of the day, issues related to the protection of mother tongues, language journalism, culture, traditional knowledge, rights to natural resources, land, identity, proportional participation, social justice and constitutionally guaranteed rights will be specially raised on the occasion, according to NEFIN. There are 59 recognized indigenous nationalities in Nepal.
Each community has its own language, culture, history, tradition, knowledge system, festivals, customs and unique way of life. The World Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples has been playing an important role in the preservation and transfer of these heritages to future generations.
The program will also discuss the achievements of Nepal’s indigenous movements in different periods, the recognition of indigenous nationalities in the constitution, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
It is also stated that common commitments will be made on the rights that are yet to be realized.
According to NEFIN office-bearers, this year’s event will not only be a formality to celebrate the Day, but also a special opportunity to proudly present Nepal’s multilingual, multicultural and multi-ethnic identity to the world. The event is expected to be one of the biggest indigenous cultural festivals of Nepal as cultural tableaux of dozens of ethnic communities, traditional musical instruments, traditional costumes and food items will be showcased in a single day at the Khula Manch. The federation has appealed to all indigenous nationalities, stakeholders, civil society, media and the general public to participate in the program and express solidarity in the common campaign for Nepal’s cultural diversity, unique civilization and identity and rights of indigenous nationalities
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