One Earth and all of us

We can debate whether our planet is green or blue because that is what we do when we have a mind - an entitlement of opinion.
And if we think that all people are the same, we could be mistaken. Our sentiments vary, and so do our needs. Approximately 476 million people across 90 countries are considered indigenous, representing over 5,000 distinct groups and a majority of the world's languages.
In order to raise awareness of the needs of the indigenous population groups, every August 9, the world commemorates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. This date was adopted in December 1994 by UN General Assembly resolution 49/214, and it marks the date of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights held in Geneva in 1982. It was that long ago. It has played a crucial role, as one way or another, we learn more about the Indigenous people of the world. They make sacrifices to keep their identity and preserve their ancient wisdom.
This year’s theme also caught up with the current trend: “Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures.'
Sometimes it can leave us confused. What makes this set of people be defined as indigenous?
One of the first aspects is that they have historical continuity because they have a long-standing connection to their ancestral lands and territories.
What also stands out is their distinct identity. This is because they maintain unique languages, cultures and social structures.
Experts point out that they are usually a non-dominant sector, as they often form a minority group within the broader society.
The fascinating part is that the indigenous peoples possess specialised knowledge about their environments and ecosystems, but they are also vulnerable, and they often face marginalisation, poverty and human rights abuses in some parts of the world.
What studies show us is that they play a vital role in managing and conserving significant portions of the world's land and natural resources. According to Unesco, the indigenous peoples live in all regions of the world and own, occupy, or use some 22 per cent of the global land area. Unesco states that, 'Numbering at least 370-500 million, Indigenous Peoples represent the greater part of the world’s cultural diversity. They speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures.'
Despite their cultural differences, indigenous peoples from around the world share common problems related to the protection of their rights as distinct peoples. Many indigenous peoples continue to be confronted with marginalisation, extreme poverty and other human rights violations.
The reality is that indigenous peoples live in all regions of the world, from the Americas to the Arctic, Africa, Asia and Australasia.
The question is, how do they keep the traditions intact with so much modernisation around them?
The question is even more important when we realise land is often challenged. Indigenous peoples often experience displacement from their ancestral lands due to development, resource extraction, and other factors. It also makes us wonder, then, about the status of the indigenous population of Palestine and in all other war zones. And not to forget about other tribes that might have been scattered and erased.
The world today is a global village, and a trend that we have seen from that is how we are becoming more and more similar. We seek a common identity to merge together, and the life on the World Wide Web has made it possible. We even shop online together for the same products from popular and established online stores.
Amongst all this globalisation, the indigenous people maintain their identity, even though they often suffer from marginalisation and discrimination, especially exclusion from decision-making processes.
Such circumstances lead to other challenges such as poverty and access to basic services such as health and education. Should they be left behind?
Human rights violations have been recorded throughout history. It is amazing that we are still able to experience the cultures.
But there is a danger of losing language and culture.
In Oman, too, there are dialects that are used in particular places, such as Jabali in the mountains of Dhofar and Harsousi in Jiddat Al Harasis in Al Wusta Governorate. These dialects and traditional knowledge of different communities, such as traditional medicines or rose water making of Al Jabal Al Akhdhar, are national treasures.
The indigenous people are also going through what others are facing, too, and that is the impact of climate change, and these include sea-level rise, desertification and extreme weather events that would force people to migrate.
The world sees migration of people to make a living for their families, crossing lands and seas.
Could this be one of the biggest challenges for the preservation of indigenous cultures?