Grigory Ledkov is participating in the hearings on preparation to the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

The interactive hearings on preparation to the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples are taking place in New York.

Representatives of indigenous peoples, establishments of the UN system, scientific institutions and human rights organizations, parliamentarians, representatives of the civil society and non-governmental organizations gathered in the main office. They are discussing suggestions of the states-members and representatives of indigenous peoples on the initial draft of the final document of the World Conference. This document will become basic for fulfillment of rights of indigenous peoples in the future. The two-day interactive hearings are the basic stage in the process of preparation to the World Conference on Indigenous Peoples – the action being conducted on the level of the General assembly of the United Nations Organization and planned for the 22nd-23rd of September of 2014. Within the interactive hearings interests of indigenous ethnic minorities of the North, Siberia and the Far East are being represented by the president of the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East, the deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation from Yamal Grigory Ledkov and a representative of the Coordinating council of the association, the chairperson of Tyumen regional public organization of indigenous ethnic minorities "KEDR" (cedar) Vladimir Klimov. Three basic topics are being discussed within the hearings: fulfillment of rights of indigenous peoples; lands, territories, resources, oceans and waters of indigenous peoples; priorities of development of indigenous peoples. By the information given to IA "Sever-Press" by Aksana Yar, the press-secretary of the information center of the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East, Grigory Ledkov spoke on the first day of the hearings. The following themes were included to his report: fulfillment of rights of indigenous peoples in Russia, review of state of Russian legislative base on protection of rights of indigenous ethnic minorities and work on its perfection on the regional level. He underlined significance of increasing the status of the permanent forum of indigenous peoples in the UN system. By his words, it is necessary to invite plenipotentiary representatives of transnational companies to high sittings in order to turn the monologue into the effective dialogue, also with state participation.