The United Nations marked the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on 9 August with Secretary-General António Guterres calling Indigenous communities “guardians of ancient knowledge” and urging that emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, be developed in ways that protect their rights and data sovereignty. This year’s theme focuses on the opportunities and risks that AI presents for preserving Indigenous languages, mapping ancestral lands and supporting climate-change adaptation. The World Health Organization used the observance to highlight persistent health inequities. It cited global data showing that Indigenous life expectancy can be up to 20 years lower than that of non-Indigenous populations and that communities face higher rates of disability, maternal and infant mortality, and chronic disease. WHO said it is drafting a Global Plan of Action for the Health of Indigenous Peoples following a 2023 World Health Assembly resolution. UNESCO announced new partnerships with Indigenous groups to ensure they have a meaningful role in shaping AI tools and to safeguard cultural heritage. In Paraguay’s Mbaracayú Forest Biosphere Reserve, for example, Indigenous communities are using digital mapping to record traditional knowledge and manage natural resources. In Mexico, the Council of Indigenous Communities of Michoacán staged coordinated road blockades to coincide with the international day, pressing demands for security, territorial rights and the release of environmental activist María Cruz Paz Zamora. The group apologised for traffic disruption but said the action was necessary because authorities had failed to address longstanding grievances.