“How precious is that profoundly genuine sense of family and community among #IndigenousPeoples! And how important it is to cultivate properly the bond between young and old, and to maintain a healthy and harmonious relationship with all of creation!”, Pope Francis tweeted these words on Wednesday as the world marked the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
The Day, which is observed on 9 August each year, to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population. It was established by the United Nations in 1994.
The theme of this year’s Day is “The role of indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge”, which is another highlight of Pope Francis’s weeklong visit to the Northern American Nation.
“To build an equitable and sustainable future that leaves no one behind, we must amplify the voices of Indigenous women,” then the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement for the Day.