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Statement of the Holy See at the Third Committee of the 81st session of the General Assembly - Agenda Item 67: “Rights of Indigenous Peoples”
By H. E. Archbishop Christophe Z. EL KASSISApostolic Nuncio and Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations

 

New York, 7 October 2026

 

Mr. Chair,

         Every human person is endowed with inherent dignity and equal rights. Indigenous Peoples, with their unique histories, cultures, spiritualities, and ancestral bonds to the land, form an indispensable part of the human family. Their rights must be respected, protected, and promoted as a matter of justice and of the common good.

In his 2025 report, the Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples affirmed that the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) has contributed to increase their global recognition. This has resulted in constitutional, legislative, and policy measures being adopted that acknowledge Indigenous Peoples as rights holders under international law.[1]

         These concrete steps provide a beneficial framework for the engagement between States and the Indigenous Peoples. At the same time, they contribute to the recognition and realization of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, their cultural and spiritual heritage, and their contribution to broader society and the common good.

        

This is all the more significant as 2027 marks the 20th anniversary of the Declaration, which remains a key instrument in promoting Indigenous Peoples’ rights. The UNDRIP affirms the right of Indigenous peoples to self-determination. Through this right they can freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development (Art. 3).

The Declaration recognizes their rights to the lands, territories and resources they have traditionally owned, occupied or used (Art. 26), and requires States to consult and cooperate in good faith in order to obtain their free, prior and informed consent before approving projects affecting those lands or resources (Art. 32). It upholds their rights to maintain and strengthen their distinct institutions, cultures, languages, traditions and spiritualities, free from discrimination.

         Indigenous peoples are not objects of development policies, but subjects and protagonists of their own destinies. Their wisdom in living in harmony with creation offers vital lessons for the culture of care and for building a more just and fraternal world.

Mr. Chair,

         Pope Leo XIV urged that “in the assembly of nations, indigenous peoples must present their own human, cultural and Christian wealth, courageously and freely.”[2] These words should guide the approach of the International Community: recognition of past wounds, commitment to reconciliation, and firm defence of the fundamental human rights and the God-given dignity of every human being.

I thank you.

 

______________________

[1] Cf. A/HRC/60/29, 2025, p. 18.

[2] Pope Leo XIV, Message on the Occasion of the Jubilee of Indigenous Peoples, 16 October2025.