Launch of SSCC Network on Indigenous and Afro Affairs
A zoom teleconference was held on 14th September in which the following participants took part:
- Cecile Alvarez, UNESCO Artist for Peace , Ambassador Claudia Turbay (Colombia) and Viktor Sebek (hosts)
- M Cesar Mantilla, President and spokesperson of the Association of Civil Society of Ecuador (moderator)
- Senator Susana Harp, Chairperson of the Culture Commission of the Senate of Mexico
- John Marazita, President of the Environment Mobility Research Unit, Kiribati, and Envoy of Kiribati to the international Labour Organization
- Marco Benitez, Cultural Attaché and Mr. Camilo Zambrano political attaché of the Embassy of Ecuador to the United States, deputizing for Ambassador Ivonne Baki
- Hon Gretty Vargas, Minister for Indigenous Peoples of Ecuador and her adviser Mr. Guido Vallejo.
Following presentation of the rationale for this network which includes participants from South and Central America, Asia and Oceania (and will expand shortly also to Africa), it was agreed that a set of concrete activities will be presented at the next meeting to be determined shortly. Several NGOs from Cartagena de Indias and the Department of Cauca in Colombia have already been presented for evaluation.
