MEETING TO SHOWCASE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF INDIGENOUS, LOCAL COMMUNITIES

meeting TO showcase importance of PreservING traditional knowledge

of indigenous, local communities

(Reissued as received.)

MONTREAL, 3 December -- On the morning of 8 December, at 9:30, a traditional Mohawk ceremony will signal the opening of a United Nations meeting focusing on the preservation, maintenance and promotion of the traditional knowledge of indigenous and local communities.

The meeting, which brings together more than 300 delegates representing governments, indigenous and local communities, will commence with two traditional Kanien'kehaka addresses:  the Thanksgiving and elements of the Requickening.

The official title of the week-long meeting is Third meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended working group on Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity and related provisions.  Article 8(j) is the provision in the Convention that refers specifically to the preservation of traditional knowledge.  The term "open-ended" reflects the broad representation of world governments, as well as indigenous representatives, and underlines the importance of the gathering as a focal point for deliberation and exchange of views from vastly different cultural perspectives.  "The cultural diversity seen at these meetings is not only important in its own right but is an essential guarantor of the preservation of biodiversity and sustainable development", said Hamdallah Zedan, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

This meeting is organized under the aegis of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), an international sustainable development agreement, ratified by 188 governments that agreed on a series of actions for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and equitable sharing of its benefits.  One of the most important commitments undertaken by the Parties to the Convention is to respect, preserve and maintain traditional knowledge and promote its wider application.  Governments have recognized the close and traditional dependence of many indigenous and local communities on biological resources, and there is also a broad recognition of the contribution that traditional knowledge has made and continues to make to conservation and wise use of biological diversity on the planet. 

The Issues

Delegates will examine four key issues at next week's meeting.

-- A Composite Report on the Status and Trends regarding the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.  The report provides a snapshot of the worldwide situation and makes a series of recommendations for future actions to be undertaken by governments to preserve and maintain traditional knowledge at the national level.  Participants in the meeting will focus on identifying ways and means to implement the recommendations.

-- Guidelines for the conduct of cultural, environmental and social impact assessment regarding developments proposed to take place on, or which are likely to impact on, sacred sites and on lands and waters traditionally occupied or used by indigenous and local communities.  The guidelines, which reflect the recognition of the need to associate indigenous populations in the development of such sites, propose more comprehensive assessment of the impacts of new developments including the impact on local culture and society.

-- Indigenous and local community participation in decision-making processes regarding the preservation, maintenance and utilization of traditional knowledge.  Case studies and best practices, including information sharing, legislation, projects and processes, will highlight how indigenous people are preserving, maintaining and using their traditional knowledge.

-- Protection of traditional knowledge, innovation and practices.  Finally, the meeting will focus on existing and proposed systems for the protection of traditional knowledge, innovation and practices.  These include analysis of existing systems for handling and managing innovations at the local levels, including intellectual property rights.

The conclusions of the meeting will form the basis of the expert advice, which will be submitted to the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the decision-making body of the Convention on Biological Diversity.  This report will guide the COP decisions that will further the work of the Convention in the area of Traditional Knowledge and the conservation of Biodiversity.

More than 2,000 delegates will attend the seventh meeting of the COP, which will take place in February 2004, in Kuala Lumpur.

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