The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is observed on 9 August each year. In an effort to highlight the precious connection between indigenous peoples of Taiwan and Aotearoa New Zealand, Interim Director Stephanie Lee of the New Zealand Commerce and Industry Office invited Minister Icyang‧Parod of the Council of Indigenous Peoples to record a video message together.
In 1994, the United Nations General Assembly decided that the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples shall be observed on 9 August each year. The UN also launched the First International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (1995-2004) to strengthen cooperation among its specialized agencies, regional commissions, and cooperation with other international organizations with the goal of addressing problems faced by indigenous peoples in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health.
In the video, Minister Icyang‧Parod says that the indigenous peoples of Taiwan and the Māori of Aotearoa New Zealand all belong to one big Austronesian family. In recent years, Taiwan and New Zealand have built a partnership that both sides cherish, spanning cooperation and exchange in such areas as language and culture, trade, travel, film and television, and education. Interim Director Lee points out that the global Indigenous population of 370 million represents more than 5,000 indigenous cultures. The indigenous peoples of Taiwan and Aotearoa New Zealand share closely connected language and culture and face much of the same challenges posed by modern society. Minister Icyang‧Parod and Interim Director Lee close their message with words Kia kaha! (Māori) and Sa’icelen! (Amis) of encouragement for the world’s indigenous peoples in indigenous language.