Excerpt:

Global Coordinating Group Co-Chairs Opening Statement, Presented by Ghazali Ohorella (Pacific)
Tabea Malona’a kura Mahina’a,

Distinguished Indigenous delegates, relatives, observers, ladies and gentlemen,

Since this is the first time that I take the floor I would like to acknowledge the traditionalpeoples of this land upon which we are meeting and all our elders past and present.

It is with great honor to address to you, and to welcome you all on behalf of the GlobalCoordinating Group to the Global Indigenous Preparatory Meeting for the High-levelPlenary of the UN General Assembly to be known as the World Conference onIndigenous Peoples.

I would also like to thank Mr. Egil Olli, President of the Sami Parliament of Norway for hiswelcoming remarks. Mr. Olli, we the World’s Indigenous Peoples recognize the hospitalityof the peoples of these lands. With the assistance of the Sami people, Indigenousrelatives from all the geo-political regions have gathered here today for this importantmeeting.

Therefore Mr. President, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the Samipeople, and the Sami Parliament of Norway for facilitating this meeting. It is my personalview that the best way to thank you all for your efforts in organizing this meeting, is todevelop a strong Alta outcome document.

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To access the full statement, visit:
http://wcip2014.org/1475