CESO is present at the Fifth Meeting of Indigenous Women of the Americas

By Ariane Chenard

From July 9th to 11th, CESO participated, as an observer, in the Fifth Continental Meeting of Indigenous Women, which was held in the Mohawk Community of Kahnawake.

In a few days, this meeting provided an opportunity to Aboriginal women from 17 countries, to exchange and discuss various subjects of interest to them.

The objective of the conference was to empower indigenous women and celebrate their identities, reflected in the theme ``Restoring our Balance``. This meeting provided to them an opportunity to discuss leadership and analyze global issues affecting their lives and wellbeing.

The meeting focused on sharing of spiritual knowledge, addressing subjects related to cultural identity and language. It encouraged alliances between different groups.

Opened with a prayer and traditional Mohawk chants, the meeting addressed various subjects such as health, spirituality, human rights, problems of violence, entrepreneurship and economic development, leadership, intellectual property and traditional medicine.

In assembling in one place women from across the continent, this event, rich in color and sound, was a real cultural experience. Women celebrated their identities in all languages, from Inuktitut to Mapudungun, from Innu to Quetchua. A celebration of the richness and diversity of aboriginal cultures.