The Members of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues have decided to postpone its forthcoming 19th session, originally scheduled to take place on 13-24 April 2020, until a later date to be determined. Registration for participants is closed until further notice. All side event registrations are also closed.

The Members of the Permanent Forum noted that they did not take this decision lightly but believe that this is the only responsible action to take in light of the extraordinary situation related to the COVID-19 outbreak and considering the high level of participation at the annual sessions of the Permanent Forum.

An additional factor is the already precarious health situation that many indigenous peoples live in, and the imperative to avoid adverse impacts.

Click here to read the letter in full.

The Informal Interactive Hearing of the President of the General Assembly on Enhanced Participation of Indigenous Peoples at the UN has also been postponed.