Twenty-Third Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
At Community First Development, self-determination is at the heart of everything we do.
It’s about having the choice to determine how we lead our lives and achieve what it is we want to achieve. It’s about having control over decisions that affect our lives and our communities.
We are utterly committed to this model because we know this is the right model.
In April, we had the privilege to attend the Twenty-Third Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) on the Ancestral Territories of the Lenape Peoples (New York), engaging with other mob from around the world. Held from 15-26 April 2024, this year’s theme focused on enhancing Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination, with an emphasis on youth.
The impacts from colonisation were evident in every conversation and it was both disheartening and uplifting to engage directly with other First Nations’ leaders and talk through challenges on significant issues like youth suicide, impacts from climate change and the fight for self-determination. Our young people did us proud and were articulate and passionate.
The first week provided us with a great opportunity to build relationships, elevate the voices of the communities we work with and share information on the important work we are doing in Australia.
During the week, we co-hosted a side event with our new partner, Pawanka Fund. The event involved a panel of young First Nations’ people from each of the seven sociocultural regions of the world. The young people spoke to a room full of people from across the globe and of all ages, about the challenges they are facing and the work they are doing to address these. The event was well-received and was attended by the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Hon. Linda Burney MP, the Ambassador for First Nations People, Justin Mohamed, the South Australian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Attorney-General, Kyam Maher MLC, as well as funders and Indigenous Peoples Organisations (IPOs).
We also participated in a second UN side event focused on cultural expression and intergenerational transmission of knowledge, with Pawanka Fund, Wayfinders Circle and the World Union of Indigenous Spiritual Practitioners (WUISP).
Our CEO, Stephanie Harvey, and Relationship Manager, Natasha Brunhuber, presented on our work with First Nations’ communities, including work we are supporting that has an Elder-youth focus. We also contributed to cultural expression within the event with two traditional dances led by Natasha Brunhuber, Byron Brunhuber and Dakota Feirer. Our presentation and interactive dance piece were a highlight for many and ignited some rich conversations.
The 2024 Chair of the UNPFII concluded by saying the health and economic wellbeing and self-determination of First Peoples is vital to the peace and prosperity for all and closed out the dialogue with these words…
“We are not just the guardians of the earth… we are the guardians of humanity. ”
It has been an absolute privilege to be part of this global conversation and have the opportunity to showcase how we operationalise self-determination in our community development practice. Through our participation in many UNPFII sessions and side events, we have connected with amazing First Nations’ organisations, individuals and organisations.
We look forward to strengthening these connections and hope to grow our relationships across the US and the world.