Young indigenous leader represents people of Acre in UN program in Switzerland The young indigenous Acreian Samuel Arara, 25 years old, belonging to the Shawãdawa (Arara) people, was one of nine Brazilians selected to participate in the Scholarship Program for Indigenous Peoples of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and is already in Geneva, Switzerland, the location of the event that takes place from June 21st to July 19th. The selection took place through a process aimed at indigenous leaders active in territories, organizations, social movements and in defense of human rights. ? Join the g1 AC channel on WhatsApp Born in Porto Walter, one of the isolated cities in Acre, Samuel is studying Forestry Engineering at the Federal University of Acre (Ufac). Environmentalist, indigenous organizer and communicator, he states that being in the Brazilian delegation represents a responsibility that is the result of a lot of work. “This is not just an individual achievement, it is a collective achievement and also the opportunity to take the voice of the indigenous peoples of Acre, the Amazon and Brazilian indigenous youth to one of the main international spaces for the defense of human rights”, he declared. Samuel Arara, 25 years old, belonging to the Shawãdawa (Arara) people, was selected to participate in the Scholarship Program for Indigenous Peoples of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Personal archive READ ALSO: Brazilian model of indigenous origin is the face of Gucci in an international campaign; find out who Huni Ku? is Indigenous is approved in a competition to become a teacher at Ifac: 'I couldn't believe it' Indigenous person from AC who scored 920 points in the essay dreams of studying medicine: 'I want to help children' Before the stage in Geneva, the young man shared that the participants had training, from the 8th to the 19th of June, at the University of Brasília (UnB), focusing on the field of International Relations. “During this period, we had meetings and dialogues with representatives from the OHCHR, the UN in Brazil, Funai, APIB, CIMI, the Attorney General's Office, UNESCO and the Public Defender's Office of the Union,” he said. According to him, preparation is important to understand how national and international spaces can dialogue to protect the rights of indigenous peoples. In Switzerland, the event takes place at the European headquarters of the United Nations (UN). "Here, we are undergoing training on UN mechanisms aimed at promoting and protecting human rights, with an emphasis on the rights of indigenous peoples. We are deepening knowledge on how to access these mechanisms, follow international recommendations, prepare communications, understand treaty bodies, international conventions, special procedures and other instruments of international impact", he detailed. Samuel Arara is in Geneva, Switzerland, to represent Acre Personal archive In total, 37 participants from the seven indigenous sociocultural regions participate: North America, Mesoamerica, South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, Arctic, Asia and Oceania. “This meeting shows that, despite different realities, many people face similar challenges related to the protection of territories, the preservation of languages ??and cultures, the right to self-determination, political participation and the defense of life”, he described. Participation Furthermore, Samuel said that during the training they also study the importance of the International Labor Organization, mainly ILO Convention No. 169, which establishes fundamental rights of indigenous peoples. “Among them the right to free, prior and informed consultation whenever administrative, legislative measures or undertakings may directly affect our people and territories”, he added. The young man also highlighted that another important aspect of the training is knowing the platforms and specific spaces for participation of indigenous peoples within the UN system. In total, 37 participants from the seven indigenous socio-cultural regions are present at the event Personal archive “These spaces are essential for us to present the realities of the territories, denounce rights violations, dialogue with experts and States, monitor international commitments and strengthen the political influence of indigenous peoples at a global level”, he argued. For the Acre native, being in Geneva means understanding that indigenous rights need to be defended both in the territories and in international spaces. “The fight begins in communities, villages, organizations and movements, but it also needs to reach places where global decisions are discussed and where States make commitments to human rights,” he stated. Born in Porto Walter, in the interior of Acre, Samuel is studying Forestry Engineering at the Federal University of Acre Personal archive Samuel also described that, upon returning from Brazil, participants must share what they learned in the program with their communities, organizations and indigenous youth. “Transform this training into concrete tools to strengthen the defense of the rights of indigenous peoples and expand our participation in decision-making spaces”, he highlighted. Review Acre’s news programs