Secretary Haaland to Head U.S. Delegation, Deliver Keynote Address to 20th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Monday, April 19, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland will deliver a keynote address at the 20th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Secretary Haaland and Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield will serve as Heads of Delegation.

Indigenous peoples around the world are disproportionally impacted by the ongoing health, economic, climate, and racial injustice crises. To tackle these challenges in the U.S., the Interior Department has committed to using an all-of-agency approach that will strengthen nation-to-nation relationships, make substantial investments in Tribal Nations, promote racial justice and equity for historically marginalized communities, and address the existential threat of climate change.

Secretary Haaland will address the Forum on April 19 at approximately 3:45 p.m. ET in virtual remarks that will be live-streamed at webtv.UN.org.

The 20th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues will be held April 19-30 in a hybrid in-person/virtual format. This year’s theme is “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: The role of Indigenous peoples in implementing Sustainable Development Goal 16.”