Forum invitation 2002

Forum for Development Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples

Forum conference 2002: Strategies for Development Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples

INVITATION TO THE FORUM CONFERENCE 2002

We would hereby like to invite to this years’ conference in the Forum for Development Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples. The conference takes place at the University of Tromsø (the main building) on October 2nd 2002. The title of the conference is ”Strategies for Development Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples”.

Forum for Development Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples has its background in the evaluation of the Norwegian Program for Indigenous Peoples (UD Evaluation Report 8.98), White paper nr. 21 (1999/2000 Menneskeverd i sentrum), and the follow-up plan for the work with indigenous peoples in development assistance (UD 1999).

Forum for Development Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples was established i 2000, and is aiming to be a meeting place for researchers, development workers, administrators and activists working with indigenous peoples’ issues, and where they can share experiences from their work with different development projects related to indigenous peoples. The Forum is led by an advisory board at the University of Tromsø, with external representation from the University of Bergen, the Sami Council and the Norwegian Church Aid. The Centre for Sami Studies at the University of Tromsø hosts the administration of the Forum. The opening conference in 2000 gathered representatives from Norwegian and Sami organisations, researchers and development workers, and the focus was on the wishes and expectations to the Forum. Topic for the conference in 2001 was ”Competence Building and Indigenous Peoples”. The conference focused on barriers and incentives for indigenous peoples in different educational systems, and how these relate to efforts of development cooperation between North and South. A preliminary report is available on our web pages: http://www.uit.no/ssweb/forum/konferanse2001/rapport_2001.htm

This years’ conference takes place on October 2nd 2002 at the University of Tromsø, and has the title ”Strategies for Development Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples”. The preliminary program is divided into three main topics:

  • The European Union: Strategies for assistance to indigenous peoples, and experiences from the EU’s policy
  • Focus on Norwegian strategies for assistance to indigenous peoples
  • Forum update: Current issues, among others ”New developments in indigenous peoples-staterelations in Asia” and ”Comparison of cooperation projects between indigenous peoples and other projects related to assistance to indigenous peoples”.

The topics are chosen on the background of among other Report from the EU and the work with implementation of European Union indigenous peoples policy in development cooperation. After request from the European Council, the European Commision has developed a working document on support to indigenous peoples in developing countries. Concerning human rights, the document states that within excisting frames for human rights, the concern of indigenous peoples social, cultural and political rights are not taken into account. As one of several main aims for a strategy for assistance of indigenous peoples in developing countries, the document states that the terriotorial rights of the indigenous peoples has to be strenghtened. It will therefore be of interest to focus on how the European Union implementates its own indigenous peoples policy in the development assistance work. The subsequent topic of the conference, with focus on the Norwegian strategies for assistance to indigenous peoples, can give interesting comparisons between the strategies of Norway and the European Union.

The target group for the conference are researchers, developments workers and Sami institutions with experience from international indigenous work, but also others with interest within this field are welcome to participate. The number of participants is limited to 200.

The conference ”Indigenous Politics: Aspects of Power and Democracy” is arranged in Tromsø October 3-5 2002, and should also be interest for people working with indigenous peoples issues. This conference is arranged by the Norwegian Power and Democracy Project, and focuses on the formalisation of a Saami public sphere and the development of a Saami political system affecting all sectors of society. For more information, please visit this page: http://www.uit.no/ssweb/sdg/prosjekt/makt/makt_eng.html

After the second conference in the Forum for Development Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples, the Forum seems to consolidate its position as an arena for debates on Norwegian development policies and policies concerning indigenous peoples. It is important to continue these debates and discussions, in order to focus on different aspects in the strategies from the cooperating countries and Norway concerning indigenous peoples, and how this influences the capacity and ability of indigenous peoples to shape and control their own development.

Please register for the Forum conference by using the registration form on our web pages: http://www.uit.no/ssweb/forum The registration deadline is set to September 9th 2002. If the registration is cancelled after September 9th , there will be a charge of NOK 150,-

Sincerely,

Professor
Sidsel Saugestad
Forum for Development Cooperation with Indigenous Peoples
Leader of the advisory board

Terje LilleengAdvisor