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95.

STATEMENT
BY MR. VLADIMIR PETROVSKY
UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL
DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT GENEVA
FOR THE OCCASION OF THE INTERNATIONAL DAY
OF THE WORLD'S
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Ariana Park, UN Globe garden, Thursday, 1July 2001

Mme High Commissioner,
M. Chairperson of the Working Group,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I t is my pleasure to welcome you all to Ariana Park this morning. I
would like to specially welcome the children of the five conti-
nents as well as the children from Marseilles who are with us
today. We at the United Nations Office at Geneva are very thankful to the or-
ganizers for giving us the opportunity to celebrate with all of you this
International Day of World's Indigenous Peoples.

Normally this day is celebrated on the 9 of August. Alas, this year we are
fortunate that this day bas been brought forward to coincide with the annual
holding of the Working Group of Indigenous Peoples in Geneva. This working
group allows for representatives of indigenous peoples from all regions of the
globe to come together in order to raise and discuss their issues of concern with
the United Nations. For whom at the United Nations the indigenous people
are one of our major partners in the new emerging global society.

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