Kalinganagar: Tata Steel observed the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district today.
Addressing a function organized at Sukinda Government College to mark the day, chief guest Parmanand Patel, an expert on tribal languages, said "We must understand that whatever development we have achieved, there has been contribution of tribal communities. If we could study their methods and technologies, which are sustainable, and implement those, we can build a better society. At the same time, we must not do anything which may damage their self-confidence. We can instead treat them well and make them feel as equal”.
The day, which was coined by United Nations in 1994, is observed by countries and thousands of organizations across the globe every year to promote and protect the rights of the world's indigenous population.
Tata Steel has been observing the day for the fourth consecutive year in Kalinganagar.
About 600 people, including students, of nearby villages took part in the observance of the day this year.
This year’s International Day of the World’s Indigenous People is devoted to the rights to education. The right of Indigenous peoples to education is protected by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People, according to which indigenous peoples have the right to establish and control their educational systems and institutions providing education in their own languages, in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods of teaching and learning.