August 9 marks the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. Today, and every day, the UBC Equity & Inclusion Office honors the hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓-speaking Musqueam people and the Syilx people of the Okanagan Nation, on whose traditional territory we do our work. We recognize and pay gratitude to our hosts and First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and Indigenous peoples across the country.
This year’s celebration marks the 10th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which works to recognize Indigenous peoples and to implement policies that address issues of exclusion, marginalization, and challenges to human rights.
Join me in honoring our Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh, and Okanagan Nation hosts at UBC Point Grey, the Downtown Vancouver campuses, and UBC Okanagan in Kelowna respectively by recognizing their immense histories, land, languages, and cultures on an important day.
Sara-Jane Finlay, Ph.D.
Associate Vice President, Equity & Inclusion
University of British Columbia