There are approximately 5000 communities around the world commonly defined as “Indigenous”. The United Nation celebrates this diversity as a world heritage that must be preserved. To front up and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population, each year on 9th August is observers as the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples.

Indigenous people are also called native people, first people, and autochthonous people. They are basically the ethnic groups which are the primary inhabitants of a particular region, opposite to the groups that occupied, colonized or settled the region more currently.

They have retained social, cultural, economic and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. In spite of the uniqueness of every ethnic group and the substantial differences among them, all indigenous peoples have a common problem: the protection of their rights. The international community has recognized the need to introduce special measures to protect their rights.

This event also recognized the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection. In the commemoration of this day, many countries have issued stamps. The above shown 5 Rupee stamp was issued by Sri Lanka Post in the year 2010.

Image Source: www.jungle.lk

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