ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE VIII INTER-AMERICAN WEEK FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

August 11, 2025 - Washington, DC

Good morning,

Distinguished Permanent Representatives to the OAS, Dear Ambassadors,
Chairman of the Permanent Council, Ambassador Savage,
Permanent Observers present, Delegates from several Missions,
Assistant Secretary General, Laura Gil,
Esteemed Indigenous leaders and elders,
Colleagues from across the Inter-American System,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honor and a pleasant opportunity for me to welcome you to the opening of the VIII Inter-American Week for Indigenous Peoples. Let me begin by extending a heartful thanks to the Assistant Secretary General and her team for taking on this task shortly after she took up the position of Assistant Secretary General. It is a special occasion as a female to have this responsibility and deliver on this so soon.

I want to thank also your team, as well as everyone in the Organization who has been involved in making this happen. This is an important occasion that we must cherish.

As indicated by Ambassador Savage indirectly is, we all come, with some exceptions, as descendants from all over the world; we are not original inhabitants of this land, the Americas. Indigenous People are, and they reflect, the origins of our history in the Americas. So, we must not only have respect for it but also see it as a source of inspiration, because the knowledge which they have built over many centuries –often not even written but conveyed verbally from one generation to the other– is unique. That is a tradition which we must respect and accept.

The original inhabitants have also not only gone through very difficult periods under difficult circumstances, but they now share equal rights as all of us to a dignified life and to protect their lives and livelihoods, which includes rights on land.


This year, we come together under a theme that speaks to both urgency and hope:
The theme is “From the voice of Indigenous women: Visibility, leadership, rights and economic autonomy.” These principles invite us to listen and to support the leadership of Indigenous women and girls as full participants in building the future in our region.

The adoption of the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2016 marked the culmination of seventeen years of negotiations. Since then, we have moved from words to action, most notably through the First Inter-American Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration, convened by the OAS in partnership with the Government of Guatemala and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). That meeting resulted in the creation of the Working Group to Monitor Implementation of the Declaration.

This Working Group brings together Member States and Indigenous representatives, acting in their personal capacity, to track progress and share experiences. Among its members are outstanding Indigenous women leaders with extensive experience in Indigenous women’s rights, diplomacy, and organization of the grassroot communities.

I look forward to the first plenary meeting of the Working Group, which will hopefully take place this September in Mexico City. Co-organized by the OAS and the Government of Mexico, with support from CAF, the meeting is aimed to adopt rules of procedure, define a monitoring framework, and elect its leadership. That is an important step forward after adopting the Declaration.

And this is why this week’s theme is so important. Visibility must be accompanied by not only political commitment both in the executive as well is in the legislative voices, and throughout society; that commitment is the starting point, but it must also be reflected in institutional voice; it must be incorporated in the governance of our nations. That voice and leadership must be supported not just in words but really in decisions to be taken. That decision-making power must become more central in our approach as we go forward.

As I mentioned in the beginning, I come from a country where we have Indigenous Peoples. The most impressive element of their existence is not only their history and all the verbally communicated knowledge, but the fact that they have preserved knowledge and cultural systems up to today, in the same way as it used to be, with due respect. This is vital for our collective wellbeing and also the environment.


Indigenous women in particular are healers, educators, negotiators, and guardians of cultural heritage. Many of our prominent people in Suriname go to the interior to enjoy and benefit from healing through natural means. It is an accepted norm and it works. So there is a dignified respect for that kind of understanding.

The pharmaceutical industry has tried to abuse that opportunity in a commercial way, regretfully, and that should not be the case. So it is not only about aiming for improving that recognition of indigenous people, we have to be a warning institution for abuse of these fundamental rights and knowledge. So, Indigenous People’s voices must be central to our agenda. And this week, we honor that imperative.

From spiritual and cultural ceremonies, to interagency dialogues, to social media campaigns and the Wall in Recognition of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, each activity reflects our growing commitment to justice, voice, and belonging.

We cannot fulfill the vision of the American Declaration, or the broader promise of the OAS, without the full participation of Indigenous women. And we cannot claim to stand for human rights if we do not honor the principle: “Nothing about us, without us.”

To all the Indigenous women joining us this week, in person and virtually: We see you. We stand with you. And We hear you.

Now we all have to act to that voice.

I thank you very much and wish you a very successful week of indigenous people.

Not only in celebration—but in solidarity, in shared leadership, and in concrete action.

Thank you.