Buorit olbmot, luossa berošteaddjit!

The Sami Parliament in Norway is proud to be able to take part in the organizing of the International Gathering of Indigenous Salmon Peoples.

I will start with a poem that is written by Lemehaš Biehtár/Pedar Jalvi born in 1888 in Ohcejohka. 

Luondu savvuda háviidis
Ja válmmašta sielu
Ođđa váttisvuođaid vuostá

Nature nourishes the wounds
And prepare the soul
To meet new difficulties

I would like to start with the attention regarding  the ongoing processes and initiatives that has a relevance to all of you.  This will include the initiative about establishing a coalition on Indigenous
Peoples ' food systems within the UN system and our holistic approach to food generation and resource management.

UN has an ongoing food system program as a part of the sustainable development goals. Food systems refers to the constellation of activities involved with producing, processing, transporting, and consuming food.

The aim is to awaken the world to the fact that we must work together to transform the way the world produces, consumes, and thinks about food.

Aims are, amongst others:

1. Generate significant action towards the 2030 agenda for sustainable development
2. Raise awareness and elevate the public discussion about how reforming the food system, reforms that are good for peoples and the planet
3. Develop principles to guide governments and other stakeholders to support SDGs (sustainable development goals) – in which food systems play a central role in building a fairer, more sustainable world
4. Create a system for follow-up and to drive new actions and progress

The states are working to transform food systems, and we all know that these transformations and initiatives affect us heavily.

In my area, in the Norwegian part of Sápmi, we have many examples, and way too often, these initiatives to often are affecting us negatively regarding  our food systems. I can briefly mention, even though I could have a longer speech about the different consequences, but here I will mention it briefly.

One is the forced reduction of reindeer herds of ours the last decade. The reason is - that from the state opinion that there are to many reindeers for our gazing areas. This happens during the same time  or simultaneously as there are extensive area encroachments due to infrastructure, wind power plants, industry like hydrogen power plants, battery factories and now also an increased military presence in the Sámi areas.

The other example is from the nineteen-eighties when our cod fisheries were heavily regulated due to overfishing by others in the Barents Sea.

The third example is the heavy regulations concerning the salmon fisheries, both in the sea and in the rivers.

Therefore, I feel it is crucial that the Indigenous Voices are heard in the ongoing food program initiated by United Nations (UN). Food systems and our dependence of the natural resources in our areas are important, because it is a part of securing our health, rights, culture,  languages,  lands -  and connection to future generations.

An initiative to establish a coalition in indigenous people’s food system started in 2020. In 2021 a steering committee was established. The committee is led by Mr Dario Meija Montalvo, representing Zenù Peoples in Colombia. Montalvo is  the Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).

The Food and Agriculture organization is the secretariate for the steering committee.

The other committee members  are named by the seven indigenous socio-economic regions in the UN. I represent the Arctic in the steering committee, and I therefore represent both the Sámis and Inuk in this early phase.

The North America region is represented at UNPFII by Geoffery Roth. We have consulted 240 indigenous leaders in regional consultations as a part of the preparatory work.

The coalition is to be indigenous lead, but states will also participate, or at least this is our aim, and the next meeting will be launched October 18^th  in Rome in Italy -  as an high-level event.

I  see this initiative as an essential initiative of relevance to the outcome of the International Gathering of Indigenous Salmon Peoples.

Thank you for your attention!