International Day of the World's Indigenous People: History, theme and significance of 'Adivasi Divas'

Chandigarh, August 9

Every year, World Tribal Day is celebrated on August 9. It aims to raise awareness about the rights and unique cultures of indigenous people around the world.

Tribal communities are also known as ‘adivasis’ or indigenous people. The day holds an immense significance as it sheds light on the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the tribals.

International Day of the World Indigenous People has its origin in the first International Decade of the World’s Indigenous people. In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Decade of the World’s International Indigenous People, spanning from 1995 to 2004, with the goal of strengthening international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous communities in areas such as human rights, environment, development, education and health.

As part of this effort, August 9 was designated as the International Day of World’s Indigenous People.

According to a UN report, this year, the theme of this day is ‘Indigenous Youth as Agents of Self-determination’.

Significance of World Tribal Day

According to a UN report, there are 467 million indigenous people in the world living across 90 countries, which makes up to less than 5% of the world’s population. They speak a majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures. ‘Adivasi Divas’ holds overwhelming significance as a day to honour, recognise and advocate for the rights and cultural heritage of India’s indigenous tribal communities. It plays a vital role in shedding light on the challenges they face and working towards a more inclusive and just society.