It's time to recognize that celebrating the life of Christopher Columbus is the same as celebrating the erasure of Indigenous existence.
"We believe it is important to hear the other side of the story-- the Indigenous side-- because there are detrimental implications to learning about the side of history that makes heroes of colonizers, and erases those who were colonized" say Shaldon Ferris and Avexnim Cotji, Indigenous Rights Radio producers.
Indigenous Peoples have the right to access their religious and cultural sites, as well as receive reparation of their ceremonial objects and human remains.
This series of 24 PSAs is based on the Outcome Document of the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, which took place in September of 2014 in New York. The PSAs highlight specific passages of the Outcome Document in an effort to inform audiences of exactly what the document contains and encourage action.
Alta Outcome Document, produced from the Global Indigenous Preparatory Conference at the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples in Alta, Norway on 10–12 June 2013
States should work with indigenous communities to ensure that national laws reflect the rights of Indigenous Peoples as laid out in the UN Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Indigenous Peoples have the right to live according to their worldview, principles and beliefs. They have sovereignty over their land, food, water and resources.