International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

9 August

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed every year on 9 August. Established by the United Nations, it recognises Indigenous peoples and provides an opportunity to focus on their rights, cultures, knowledge and participation in decisions that affect them.

Why 9 August?

The date recalls the first meeting of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations in Geneva in 1982. The General Assembly established the annual observance through a resolution adopted on 23 December 1994.

This is a global observance rather than the anniversary of a single Australian event. It connects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences with a wider international conversation, while recognising that Indigenous peoples have distinct histories, laws, languages, cultures and relationships with their lands and waters.

Rights as well as recognition

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted on 13 September 2007. It provides an important framework for considering self-determination, culture, identity, lands, participation and other rights. The Declaration’s adoption date is a separate milestone from the annual 9 August observance.

Recognition through a display or celebration can open a conversation, but the rights framework asks more substantial questions. Who makes decisions? Whose knowledge is respected? How are Indigenous peoples involved in matters affecting their communities? The international day offers a useful point for examining the practices of a school, workplace or organisation.

Connecting global learning with local relationships

Learning about Indigenous peoples elsewhere should not flatten different peoples into one identity. Use the names communities use for themselves, select sources created by or with the people concerned, and avoid presenting a single experience as universal.

Local relationships remain essential. An Australian organisation can begin by learning whose Country it works on, considering how it engages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and reviewing whether that involvement is sustained and properly supported.

For schools, choose a small number of reliable sources and compare how different communities describe an issue such as language, land or cultural knowledge. Make clear what is shared and what is specific. Learners should not be asked to reproduce sacred designs or speak as though they represent another people.

Themes and participation

The United Nations may nominate a particular focus for each year. Check the current organiser information before advertising a theme, livestream or event; earlier campaigns remain historical resources.

A useful observance leaves people with a pathway for continued learning and a practical responsibility they can act on. Read an Indigenous-authored account, examine an institutional decision-making process, or support a relevant Indigenous-led initiative in a way guided by that organisation’s priorities.

Sources and further reading

The resources below provide historical records, First Nations perspectives and pathways for further learning. Some historical material contains names and images of deceased people, outdated language or distressing content. Follow the guidance provided by each publisher.

Online sources and longer reading

International Day: background. United Nations. The origins of the observance, the 1982 meeting and the annual 9 August date.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/Indigenous-day/background

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. UNESCO. Background and current material on the international observance.
https://www.unesco.org/en/days/worlds-indigenous-peoples

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. United Nations Digital Library. The original Declaration for longer reading and discussion of rights.
https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/638370?v=pdf

Adoption of the Declaration. United Nations. Contemporary record of the General Assembly’s decision on 13 September 2007.
https://press.un.org/en/2007/ga10612.doc.htm

Our related products and resources

For further learning, explore the sources above and choose resources appropriate to your setting. Our book collection and information for schools and organisations provide additional browsing pathways. Check each item’s description for its specific subject, authorship and suitability.