U.S. Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo) will deliver the keynote address April 19 at the 20^th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Haaland is scheduled to speak at approximately 3:45 p.m. in virtual remarks that will be livestreamed at webtv.UN.org.

Haaland and Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield will serve as Heads of Delegation. A ceremonial welcome will be done by Tadodaho Sid Hill, the traditional Chief of the Onondaga Nation.

Click here to see the program’s schedule for the opening ceremony.

The forum will run April 19-30 in a hybrid format with mostly virtual meetings. In-person meetings at UN Headquarters in New York will only take place at the opening and closing meetings with limited in-person participation of forum members and member states. All other attendees will participate via an online platform.

This year’s forum theme is “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: The role of Indigenous peoples in implementing Sustainable Development Goal 16.” Discussion is expected to be held on the six mandated areas of the forum: economic and social development, culture, environment, education, health and human rights.

Click here for more information, including an agenda.