The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) has issued a statement on social media marking World Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Axar.az reports that in its statement, BIG expressed respect for the resilience, cultures and identities of indigenous communities around the world on August 9, World Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

"On 9 August, the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, we pay tribute to the resilience, cultures, and identities of Indigenous communities across the globe," the statement read.

“We stand in solidarity with the Kanak of Kanaky (New Caledonia), the Māʻohi of Maʻohi Nui (French Polynesia), the Kalinago and other Indigenous Peoples of Guadeloupe and Martinique, the Indigenous Peoples of French Guiana—including the Kali'na, Wayana, Wayampi, Teko, Lokono, and Palikur—as well as Indigenous communities in Saint Martin, Bonaire, and other territories under French and Dutch colonial rule,” BIG said.

It noted that their languages, cultures and ancestral lands constitute a living heritage that deserves respect, protection and justice.

“Their languages, cultures, and ancestral lands are living legacies that deserve respect, protection, and justice. On this day, the Baku Initiative Group reaffirms its commitment to advancing the rights, dignity, and self-determination of Indigenous Peoples as an integral part of the global decolonization agenda,” the statement said.