Information Note for Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations on the Twelfth Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

We welcome you to New York for the twelfth session, which starts on 20 May 2013 and ends on 31 May 2013. The attachment to this letter provides an outline of matters pertaining to the session.

We are pleased to announce that the renovations of most of the Conference Rooms at the United Nations Headquarters are almost completed. The opening of the session will be held in the General Assembly Hall and will commence at 11am. In the afternoon and for the rest of the session, the meeting will be in Trusteeship Council Chamber.

The twelfth session of the Permanent Forum will be significant because it is the Permanent Forum’s review year with special emphasis on the implementation of UNPFII recommendations on: (i) health; (ii) education; and (iii) culture.

Also, based on its methodology of organizing in-depth dialogues with UN agencies, the Forum will hold a dialogue with the World Bank; Asian Development Bank; African Development Bank; Inter-American Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation.

The special regional focus of the Forum will be on indigenous peoples in Africa. A half-day discussion will be devoted to this region.

Other features of the Forum’s twelfth session will include Human Rights, the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples (2014), Discussions on the Post 2015 Development Agenda and discussions on a number of studies completed this year by members of the Permanent Forum.

We take this opportunity to draw your attention to the preparatory meeting of the Indigenous Global Caucus on the weekend before the Permanent Forum session 18 – 19 May 2013. As in previous years, the meeting will take place on the 2nd floor of the Church Center for the United Nations at 777 UN Plaza (corner of East 44th Street and 1st Avenue), across the street from the main entrance to the United Nations.

Also, the Global Indigenous Women's Caucus meeting will take place on Friday 17 May 2013 from 9am to 5pm. The meeting will take place on the 2nd floor of the Church Centre for the United Nations at 777 UN Plaza (corner of East 44th Street and 1st Avenue), across the street from the main entrance to the United Nations.

The Indigenous Youth Caucus Preparatory Meeting for the twelfth Session will take place on Sunday, May 19, 2013, 9am to 6pm at 1 East 42nd Street, 2th Floor, New York, NY 10017

A meeting with Indigenous Journalists to strategize on the World Conference on Indigenous peoples (2014) will take place on Wednesday 22 May between 10am – 11am in Conference Room C. For further information contact Nilla Bernardi on Wednesday 22 May between 10am – 11am in Conference Room C. For further information contact Nilla Bernardi on

One important note – all registrations for new Indigenous Peoples’ Organizations and Academics are now closed. Please be advised you must be pre-registered in order to attend the Forum. You must also bring your confirmation letter and a photo ID such as a passport or driver’s licence to the Registration desk.

Registration times will be:
Sunday 19 May 12:00 -17:00
Monday 20 May 08:30 -12:30 & 14.00 -15.45
Tuesday 21 May 09.00 - 12.30 & 14.00 – 15.45
Wednesday 22 May to Friday 31 May (remainder of the Session) 09:30 - 12:30 & 14.00 – 15.45

The Registration Desk will be closed from 12:30 p.m. to 14:00 p.m. Participants attending only side-events should register in the morning before those events take place.

Warm regards,
The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues Secretariat: Chandra, Anna, Arturo, Bertha, Broddi, Daniel,Joshua, Luz, Martin, Mirian, Nilla, Olga, Samantha, Sonia, Upatissa