The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples was marked around the globe on Monday.

The United Nations-sanctioned date raises awareness of protecting the rights of the world's Indigenous population, recognising their achievements and contributions to improve world issues; predominantly environmental protections of their homelands.

It was celebrated one day later this year to coincide with the start of the working week.

The historical reason behind the traditional August 9 date is to commemorate the inaugural meeting of the UN's working group on Indigenous populations held in Geneva in 1982.

This first session proved a milestone towards laying foundations for bringing Indigenous peoples' rights onto an international human-rights agenda.

The UN General Assembly first proclaimed that date officially in 1994, which followed adopting a resolution to make 1993 the International Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples.

It is now observed to recognise Indigenous peoples' cultures, languages, knowledge, traditions and rights for 6.2 per cent of the world's population face - nearly 477 million Indigenous people from more than 5,000 distinct Indigenous nations across about 90 countries that cumulatively speak a large majority of 7,000 varied Indigenous languages.

The key celebration this year occurred in New York City, headquarters for the UN since 1952, and brought attention to Indigenous midwifery and their knowledge under the theme of Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-Being.

Speakers discussed the role of Indigenous midwives in preserving and transmitting knowledge from one generation to the next, examining why Indigenous people need healthcare approaches that respect their cultures, traditions, spirituality and community practices, and how Indigenous midwifery can face discrimination, stigmatisation and even criminalisation in some countries. The event was live streamed around the world.

The UN also marked the occasion by calling for policies that protect and support Indigenous-led healthcare and knowledge systems while also connecting health with cultural survival as midwifery was connected to cultural identity, spirituality, community links to land, and intergenerational knowledge.

The International Confederation of Midwives highlighted Waminda, an Aboriginal community-controlled health organisation in New South Wales, featuring the organisation's Birthing on Country model, which combines culturally safe, community-led care with professional midwifery on which the National Indigenous Times reported in 2024.

The Australian government officially recognised the day on Sunday by encouraging people to "spread the message that the rights of Indigenous peoples must be protected and promoted".

The Royal Australian Navy used the date to launch its Djalkiri Indigenous Action Plan that recognises the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Australia's maritime heritage of First Nations Australians that have historically served in the naval force.

Papua New Guinea's government is one of the few nations in the world that formally recognises International Day of the World's Indigenous People with a day of observance.

The date coincided with the conclusion of the Sepik Crocodile Festival in its 20th year, bringing together a nad of tribal communities into the East Sepik province to celebrate traditional cultures of the country, but particularly from the local Iatmul people's distinctive traditions.

However, Suriname was the only country that commemorated International Day of the World's Indigenous People with a public holiday.

Indigenous culture is deeply rooted in the one-time Dutch colony's forests, rivers, languages, food systems and traditional knowledge on the South American continent amid the Wayana, Lokono, Trio, Wayana, and smaller Amazonian Indigenous communities still facing significant challenges over their land and legal recognition.

The chief celebrations took place at renowned Palmentuin's public park in Suriname's capital Paramaribo with the country's President, Jennifer Geerlings-Simon, where the government joined in with Indigenous organisations to mark Dag der Inheemsen (Indigenous Peoples' Day).

One of the most visible cultural celebrations occurred in the West Bengal state of India.

Members from 35 Indigenous communities performed a range of traditional Indigenous cultural dances with their own meaning during its annual festival for the West Bengal Tribal Unity Forum.

There was also a public discussion over Indigenous representation, recognition, inclusion and society in Tripura, the third-smallest state in the country in northeastern India, but where more than 30 per cent of Tripura's population, the fifth most from India's 28 states and eight union territories, are registered as Indigenous people.

The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences, a major educational and social-development institution at Odisha, a state in the east part of the country, held an education and empowerment session for young Indigenous and tribal children in an observance to bring Indigenous culture and education together.

India all up recognises 705 historical Indigenous cultures, which Odisha with 62 tribes identifying as the most in the world's most populated country.

Sri Lanka used the occasion for something more substantive than just a ceremonial celebration.

The government announced that its long-awaited Indigenous Peoples Bill has been sent to the national cabinet.

Parliamentary discussions are expected to begin almost immediately, which is quite significant over moving the observance from recognition towards possible legal and political reform.

The government says it intends to consult Indigenous representatives and relevant institutions before moving forward on proposed legislation that is intended to create a specific legal framework recognising and protecting the rights of Sri Lanka's Indigenous peoples, particularly against the persecution of the one-and-the-same Vedda/Adivasi communities.