Young representatives of tribal communities in the State have framed the Kochi Charter on Tribal Rights affirming their commitment to the UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage and the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Young leaders from more than 30 tribal communities applauded the role of Kani community internationally in forming the basis of the Nagoya Protocol of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity on Access and Benefit Sharing.
Those who framed the Charter included young leaders S. Bibitha of Kadar community, K. Panali, Kurumba community, C. Vinod, Cholanaikkan community, Saji Bomman, Kattunayakan community and T.P. Soman Mooppan, Kurumba community.
The Charter is the outcome of five-day national seminar on tribal heritage to mark the United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples organised by Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, National Museum of Natural History and the India Heritage and Museum Field School (IHMFS) with the support of Edamalakudy grama panchayat, Maharaja’s College, voluntary agency Thampu, Chavara Cultural Centre, Folkland, Moozhikkulam Sala, Ernakulam Karayogam and Totem.
