Newsletter highlights the activities undertaken by the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and its Secretariat for the period from January to March 2006.

Dear Friends,
The Secretariat of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is please to announce the issue of the MESSAGE STICK.

The indigenous movement is today spreading its influence to the development agenda, building on its victories and also on the UN’s overall human rights agenda, which has today become our policy framework.

The establishment of the Permanent Forum is testimony to the increasing profile of indigenous issues within the United Nations system. As a result UNPFII members have been invited to attend various international meetings by different UN Agencies, Inter-Governmental organizations and indigenous organizations.

In this newsletter we covered important information on decisions taken during the Pre-sessional meeting of the UNPFII in Nuuk, Greenland. Also, we are pleased to announce the launching of the new website of the secretariat of the Forum; it has new and interesting information on the work of the Permanent Forum.

Best regards,

Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
indigenouspermanentforum@un.org
UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS