UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues- New York, New York

I am off to attend the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York New York.
'The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council, with a mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.'

Here is a link to their website:
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/index.html

This will be the third time I have been to the Forum and the fourth to New York. I am really looking forward to the melee of indigenous people from all around the world, in full costume and regalia for the first few days. There is the serious business of the situations facing indigenous people to be brought before the Forum. We will hear hundreds of speakers describing what is going on back home. These are first hand stories that tell it how it is, without the distorting veil all our news is filtered through nowadays.

I am representing the Jummas, the indigenous peoples from Bangladesh. There will also be a number of other Jummas at the Forum. We are fortunate to have quite a strong showing each year.

It is one of the most colourful meetings in the UN Calendar (one Minister described it as Carnivalisation!), in one of the most exciting cities on Earth. With so much energy in one place at one time, you can't help but wonder if you are witnessing something historic..