I had the privilege of attending the 8th Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues last week in New York City. Admittedly, I am a bit of a political geek, and it was a bit of a dream come true just to be in the UN, but in the midst of it all, I found myself both inspired and challenged. In the Indigenous issues forum, the majority of the people came in their traditional dress so you had the Sami people from northern Scandinavia and Russia in their colourful jackets and reindeer hide trousers and boots to the feathered headdresses of the Americas. It reminded me of our diversity in this world and yet our commonality. I sat in on sessions expressing concerns about the environment, the abuses being done by multinational corporations, and the desire to protect one culture and traditions. There is a common threat of humanity that runs through our discussion whether we are indigenous or not as adjust to living in a more global society, and our hope as humanity to live in security and freedom. It was during this time that I really realised the potential of the UN. In university I had been taught the importance of the Security Council and the General Assembly and though I sometimes downplay their role in international relations, a potential for change in our world lies with the people gathered there. It happens in the conference rooms, the corridors and the cafes within the UN where people are talking about the problems of this world that they face. In my work on reconciliation and peacemaking, we believe that one of the most important ways to achieve a solution is getting people together and creating space for them to speak to one another, to feel heard and to hear others’ perspectives. We celebrate when two neighbours are able to talk after years of conflict just as much as we applaud politicians coming together to talk. This is the potential of the UN that I saw as people from all corners of this world are in one place to discuss the issues that face them in peaceful forums.

I was challenged in some of my own perspectives as I attended the daily sessions and side events. I am Canadian through and through, and I love my country, and I am proud of the role we have played in pushing the human rights agenda globally, and the idea that we were respected as being very environmentally friendly. However, in this forum, Canada’s good reputation was being called into question since we are one of only three countries who have not voted for the Declaration of Rights on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and we were singled out. For the first time I had to come out of my Canadian belief that everyone likes Canada. As I sat in side meetings discussing the rights of indigenous women, environmental issues, and the status of the Arctic, I was challenged about the way; my country was handling some of these issues. I was shocked to learn about the damaging behaviour both to the environment and to our national reputation that is being caused by the actions of large Canadian multinational mining corporations were highlighted by various indigenous groups. It seemed that the rights and freedoms that we enjoy within our own society were not translating into government practices that would control the activities of these multinational corporations. It was an important thing for me to hear, not only because it challenged my preconceived ideas, but because it caused me to think about what I can do to help change the way my country has been handling these issues.

I am thankful that I was able to have this opportunity to attend this permanent forum, not only for the hope it gave me, but for the way it challenged me to rethink some of my own perspectives by hearing another’s point of view.

Kristen Carson