Supporting international Indigenous peoples is crucial for global security and stability. As we navigate complex global challenges, recognizing the important role Indigenous peoples must play is paramount in forging a safer and more equitable future for all.
Comprising nearly 500 million individuals across 90 countries, Indigenous peoples represent 5,000 diverse cultures and possess invaluable traditional knowledge critical to sustainable development, peacebuilding, and environmental conservation.
The lecture critically examines historical marginalization while highlighting Indigenous peoples' potential as key partners in resolving contemporary global issues. Specific focus areas include Indigenous approaches to gender equality, conflict resolution, governance and peacebuilding. Notably, Indigenous communities demonstrate unique capabilities in environmental stewardship, with territories like the Brazilian Amazon experiencing significantly lower deforestation rates under Indigenous management.
The presentation will underscore the importance of inclusive development strategies that directly engage Indigenous peoples as equal partners. Examples from Sweden, Brazil, Australia, and Mexico illustrate emerging policy frameworks that recognize Indigenous leadership and agency. The analysis emphasizes the transformative potential of Indigenous participation in decision-making processes at local, national, and global levels.
Ultimately, systematically integrating international Indigenous perspectives is not merely a moral imperative but a strategic approach to addressing complex global challenges, promoting justice, and fostering sustainable development.
Speaker:
Dr. Michael Orona
Michael Orona has served at the U.S. Department of State for over 20 years where he has held an array of senior-level foreign policy advisory positions in Washington, D.C. and around the world. This includes serving at the White House as National Security Council Director for Africa Affairs, and at the U.S. Embassy in Vietnam where he negotiated the release of three prisoners of conscience. In 2004, Mr. Orona established and led the State Department’s Sudan Atrocities Documentation team, which was dispatched by the Secretary of State to investigate the violence in Darfur.
Previously, Michael was selected to serve as the State Department’s Senior Advisor for International Indigenous Issues where he co-led the White House Committee on International Indigenous Human Rights and oversaw U.S. foreign policy regarding the rights of Indigenous peoples.
Aside from a juris doctorate degree in international law, Mr. Orona also earned an M.S. in Military and Strategic Policy Studies from the U.S. Marine Corps Command and Staff College. He is a life member of The Council on Foreign Relations.
Mr. Orona is a member of the Chihene Mimbreno band of Apache and of Yaqui ancestry. He recently published his first novel, The Brave Ones. A historical Native American perspective on the struggle for equality and social justice.
This event is cosponsored by:
