Kathmandu, August 5:

The Nepal Federation of International Nationalities (NEFIN) will organise its main programme in Pokhara for the first time on August 8 to mark “International Day of World Indigenous Peoples”. “As part of spreading message of rights of indigenous nationalities, the NEFIN will conduct programmes in 33 districts this year,” said Dr Om Gurung, NEFIN general secretary, speaking at a press meet organised by NEFIN. Dr Gurung said this is part of the second World Indigenous Decade (2005-2015). He added other countries have also started taking the issues of indigenous nationalities seriously. “The 1990 people’s movement opened a way to the movement of indigenous nationalities; it is therefore closely associated with the press freedom and democracy,” he said.