A first-ever “Indigenous Embassy” was launched in Jerusalem at an event attended by more than 200 people, including ambassadors from around the world. It is the 100th embassy to open in the State of Israel, according to the Foreign Ministry.
The World Bank defines indigenous people as “distinct social and cultural groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy or from which they have been displaced.”
According to Amnesty International, 476 million indigenous people are living in more than 90 countries. They belong to more than 5,000 different indigenous peoples and make up 5% of the world’s population.
Embassy has support from global indigenous leaders
The Jerusalem embassy has support from indigenous leaders from all around the world – including Singapore, Taiwan, Samoa, American Samoa, Hawaii, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji, Native American chiefs and paramount chiefs from Southern Africa.
Attendees at the embassy’s launch on Thursday night came from many of these countries, including several tribal chiefs, a princess, and a king. Many wore traditional garb.
The embassy, a project of the Indigenous Coalition For Israel (ICFI) and spearheaded by Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, will be located on the Friends of Zion campus.
“We are grateful to the ICFI leadership for pursuing this initiative, especially during a time of war,” Hassan-Nahoum said. “The Jewish people are the indigenous people of Israel, and so we are thrilled with the support of the global First Peoples community.”
The idea of the embassy is to help change the narrative among indigenous people worldwide.
“The main narrative of our haters is to try to separate the Jewish people from their native land,” Hassan-Nahoum explained. She said other indigenous people who understand what it is to be a people from a land are optimally poised to fight this false narrative.
“You are the fifth embassy to open in Jerusalem, which is very special,” Hassan-Nahoum concluded.
Friends of Zion Founder and CEO Mike Evans noted that there are Evangelicals among most communities of Indigenous people, and they “will become our first ambassadors.” However, Hassan-Nahoum pointed out that the embassy will be inclusive of people from all faiths and religions. She said the embassy is meant to be a hub for indigenous peoples visiting Israel and a tangible expression of their support.
Similar to the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem, it will not officially represent any of the governments where the host nations live.