Indigenous Peoples - October 2013

The Department of International Law and the Art Museum of the Americas (AMA) inaugurated a photographic exhibit at the OAS

On Wednesday, October 9, 2013, it was inaugurated the exhibit “Indigenous Peoples of the Americas” at the General Secretariat Building of the OAS in Washington, D. C. It is a sample of 21 photographs selected from a total of 520, who participated in the contest "Indigenous Perspectives". These images are mainly concentrated in the daily life of the indigenous peoples of our hemisphere, through their culture, work, art, history and environment, and were selected for their beauty, creativity and originality.

At the opening, brief statements were given by the organizers: Dr. Dante Negro, Director of the Department of International Law, Minister Karlfried Bergner, Head of Communications and Cultural Division of the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the Director of the Museum of Arts of the Americas, Mr. Andres Navia. A space was provided to the winner of the competition, Mr. Mário Rainha Campos, to explain the history of the winning photograph "Kayapó Body Painting", which captures the moment the face of a Kayapó village girl, a community in the Brazilian Amazon, is being painted, following a custom of their community.

There was an open call for proposals which brought together professional photographers, students and amateurs, with no age restriction. In accordance with the rules of the competition, photographs should contain one or more characteristic elements of indigenous peoples of the Americas (peoples, places, work, religion, family, etc.). Additionally, it was requested that all photographs become part of the physical and digital file of the General Secretariat of the OAS. Due to the great number of participants, we now have access to a large collection of images that illustrate the life of indigenous peoples in the hemisphere.

This initiative forms part of the Department of international Law's Program of Action on the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. It is possible thanks to funding from the German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) at the behest of the Federal German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

We take the opportunity to invite everyone to visit the exhibit, which will be held until October 31st on the 8th Floor of the GSB Building, located at 1889 F. St. N.W., Washington, D.C., 20006.

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