The second annual Indigenous Earth Issues Summit will be held at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan on Monday, April 6 in the Great Lakes Rooms of NMU's Don H. Bottom University Center.
A unique opportunity presents itself this year as the NMU Students for Sustainable Living will host the Superior Water Festival immediately prior to the Indigenous Earth Issues Summit. The Superior Water Festival will be held on the NMU campus on April 3-5. E-mail [email protected] for more details.
The Indigenous Earth Issues Summit will feature keynote presenter, Indigenous activist Evon Peter (Neetsaii Gwich'in), and a variety of films and presentations on international Indigenous environmental issues.
Ultimately, the summit is a call to action in response to environmental issues impacting Indigenous communities around the world. These issues, however, do not only impact Indigenous peoples. They are symptoms of what is impacting the planet itself.
"As Indigenous people we have a responsibility to the earth. The earth is our mother; she gives us life and sustains us. We need to protect and heal our country and community in order for future generations to exist," said John Hunter, an Aborigine (or Murri) from Australia, a keynote presenter from last year's Summit. "Only as united communities joined in local, regional, national and international alliances can we rise to meet the environmental challenges of the 21st century."
The Summit is free and open to the public. For those planning on attending lunch, registration is required. For more information or to register, visit the Center for Native American Studies website at www.nmu.edu/nativeamericans or call 906-227-1397.
The Summit is made possible with the generous support of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community.
