09 November 2015 - The Philippines paid tribute to indigenous peoples around the world, including the Ifugao tribe of the Philippines, for their contribution to building disaster-resilient communities on October 13, known worldwide as the International Day for Disaster Reduction.

“We should pay tribute to all indigenous peoples around the world who have demonstrated their consistency in keeping their traditions to help preserve the planet,” said Ambassador Cecilia B. Rebong, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, who spoke at the launch of a photo exhibition at the Philippine Mission in partnership with the Permanent Mission of France, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the French Agency for Development (AFD) at the Palais des Nations.

This year’s focus of the International Day for Disaster Reduction is the contribution of traditional, indigenous and local knowledge to building resilient communities.

“We are humbled and grateful for the recognition received by the Ifugao tribe in the northern Philippines from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), cited last week in Manila as the first Philippine indigenous community to be recognized as a champion for disaster risk reduction (DRR),” Ambassador Rebong said adding, “Their indigenous knowledge of the environment was evident on how they were able to preserve the 2,000-year-old Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras.”

Ambassador Rebong also lauded the featured work of renowned photographer, Mr. Yann Arthus Bertrand, which she said are concrete solutions in the fight against climate change and in promoting DRR.

The photo exhibition, which features 21 photos from the book, “Sixty solutions against climate change,” ran until October 20 on the Passerelle of the Palais des Nations, the United Nations’ office in Geneva.

Photos featured may also be accessed through this link: http://www.afd.fr/lang/en/home/projets_afd/AFD-et-environnement/changement_climatique/60-solutions .  END