From 23 April to 4 May 2012, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, conducted an official visit to the United States to examine the situation of indigenous peoples in the country. This visit follows the formal endorsement by the United States, on December 16, 2010, of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a groundbreaking instrument that was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2007.
As part of the Special Rapporteur's visit, on April 26 - 27, 2012, the University of Arizona, in cooperation with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, hosted a conference, titled "The Significance of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: A Conference and Consultation with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples." The conference provided the Special Rapporteur the opportunity to hear from representatives of indigenous peoples and organizations from throughout the country, as well as to interact with leading thinkers on issues of indigenous rights. This unique conference was made possible by the generous support of The Ford Foundation, the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission and the National Congress of American Indians.
This web site contains the proceedings of the conference, including the statements submitted by the participants, and both video and transcripts from the panel discussions.