Appreciating and paying respect to the unique heritage and culture of those whose origins are native to the Americas, Indigenous Peoples’ Day offers the opportunity to honor, learn, celebrate and raise awareness. Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first officially celebrated in the US in 2021 when US President Joe Biden became the first president to formally recognize the day. However, the idea for the day goes back much further.
In 1977, the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland sponsored the International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas. Part of the purpose was to begin celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
We encourage you to learn more about the Indigenous communities and territories near you. Check out Native Land Digital at https://native-land.ca/ for more information!