2014-08: Endorsing the Declaration of Indigenous Youth

WHEREAS, the National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was established in 1970 for the purpose of advocating, planning, and promoting the unique and special educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians; and

WHEREAS, NIEA, as the largest national Indian organization of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian educators, administrators, parents, and students in the United States, provides a forum to discuss and act upon issues affecting the education of Indian and Native people; and

WHEREAS, through its unique relationship with Indian nations and tribes, the federal government has established programs and resources to meet the educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, residing on and off their reserved or non-reserved homelands; and WHEREAS, the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education was held in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi in May, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Indigenous youth representing Native peoples of Aotearoa, Australia, North America, Europe, and Hawaiʻi gathered, formulated, and adopted the Declaration of Indigenous Youth on May 20, 2014;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, NIEA proclaims this Declaration of Indigenous Youth an affirmation of the identities of indigenous peoples, who shall strive to live by the values and principles embedded within their cultures, languages, and traditions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, NIEA shall utilize and support this newly created Declaration of Indigenous Youth to further its purposes of advocating, planning, and promoting the educational needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.