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Canada plays host to the 5th Continental meeting of Indigenous Women of the Americas

July 6, 2007

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Diana Mavunduse

From July 9-11, 2007 more than 300 Indigenous Women of the Americas will be gathering in Kahnawake, Quebec for their Fifth Continental meeting under the theme Restoring our Balance.
The gathering coordinated by the Continental Network of Indigenous Women of the Americas (ENLACE), brings together community leaders and organizations from 17 countries across North, Central and South America.
The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is one of the co-sponsors. Among the participants, PWRDF board members, Vivian Ayoungman, Siksika Nation, member of the First Nation Adult Higher Education Consortium-FNAFEC and Donna Goodleaf, Kanhawake Mohawk Territory, Director of the Kanien’kehaka Onkwawen: naRoatitiohkwa Language and Cultural centre, will also attend the gathering.
Founded as a result of an initiative by Indigenous women form Canada, ENLACE unites Indigenous women from North, Central and South America in their common search for solutions to economic, social, cultural and environmental issues that affect their lives.
The Fourth Meeting took place in Lima (Peru, 2004) and united more than three hundred women from over twenty countries. These Continental Meetings are unique platforms that encourage the development of Indigenous women’s leadership and insuring their political participation in international forums.
This year, the Quebec Native Women Inc. is playing host to the gathering. Panel discussions will consider the unique human rights challenges that Indigenous women face and legal as well as traditional and holistic approaches to remedying their causes and effects, with a special emphasis on physical, mental, spiritual and emotional healing.
“The goal of this conference is to empower Indigenous women and celebrate our identities, but most importantly to acknowledge that the teachings of our ancestors is just as relevant today as they were 500 years ago,” said Ellen Gabriel, President of Quebec Native Women Inc. “We hope this conference will provide some long-lasting solutions to the problems that plague our peoples as well as forge new alliances based upon mutual respect, honesty, integrity and peaceful co-existence.”
Participants will also be able to discuss and share their experiences from their own countries and develop strategies for addressing common concerns, such as intellectual property rights, the promotion of non-violence, and the international recognition of Indigenous peoples’ rights.
For more Information please go to: http://www.faq-qnw.org/5conti/

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