By Susan G. Enberg

Erika Mayer

On August 22, 2015 Asociacion Mujb’ abl ‘yol celebrated the closure of a 9-month series of workshops and trainings for 40 community radio volunteers on “Democracy, Development and Community Media.” The project was partially funded by DEMOS Guatemala and the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) to benefit community journalists in Guatemala. It is the first time a project of its kind has been launched and has achieved 100% graduation rate. 40 participants proudly received their recognitions on Saturday in hopes of improving community media in their communities.

On August 17, 2015 Jose Mujica the ex-president of Uruguay visited Guatemala during the VI Esquipulas Forum where he spoke on  “Moral Imperatives of Human Beings Before The Politics and Economics of Globalization”. The Forum took place in Guatemala City with the participation of various Human Rights entities and Latin America political leaders from Cuba, Argentina, Ecuador, etc.  The ex-president was received warmly and with much anticipation given the current political state of the country.

The 193 member states of the United Nations reached consensus on a new set of sustainable development goals on August 2, 2015 concluding a negotiation period of more than two years which included the unprecedented participation of civil

An ongoing dispute over 2,300 acres of land in Segera, Laikipia County, Kenya has the Maasai people facing violent abuse and other human rights violations. The Maasai community were told that the land had been purchased by North Tetu Cooperative Society and that they had to evacuate.

An Analysis by Kapaeeng Foundation of the Human Rights Situation of Indigenous Women and Girls (January-July 2015)

Photo courtesy of Aled Llion.

Cultural Survival deeply mourns the loss of our co-founder Elsebet “Pia” Maybury-Lewis, who passed away today, August 4, 2015 at age 89 at her home in Cambridge, MA, surrounded by her loving family and friends after a long battle with lung cancer. Pia was born in Jutland, Denmark on June 1, 1926.

By Cory Champer

As part of an ongoing initiative to include Indigenous youth voices in petitions put forward by Indigenous organizations and groups, the first national Indigenous youth political discussion was held in Guatemala City on July 17, 2015. Youth representatives of all three linguistic groups in Guatemala: Mayan, Xinca and Garifuna, were present during the meeting. Previous regional meetings were held earlier during the year throughout Guatemala where a political agenda was developed from the various work-groups.

Press Release

GENEVA (7 July 2015) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, today urged the Government of Belize to ensure respect for the rights of the country’s Maya people to non-discrimination and traditional property.

“Under international human rights standards, indigenous peoples have the right to use, develop and also to control the lands, territories and resources that they possess by reason of traditional ownership,” Ms. Tauli-Corpuz emphasized.

By Erika Mayer