United Nations General Assembly A/RES/56/140 Distr.: General 15 February 2002 Fifty-sixth session Agenda item 116 Resolution adopted by the General Assembly [on the report of the Third Committee (A/56/580)] 56/140. International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 55/80 of 4 December 2000 and previous resolutions on the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People, Recalling also its resolution 40/131 of 13 December 1985, by which it established the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations, Recalling further that the goal of the Decade is to strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health, and that the theme of the Decade is “Indigenous people: partnership in action”, Welcoming, in this respect, the contribution made through the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, held at Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 7 September 2001, to the realization of the goals of the Decade, Welcoming also the appointment of a special rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people, with the mandate spelled out in Commission resolution 2001/57 of 24 April 2001, 1 Recognizing the importance of consultation and cooperation with indigenous people in planning and implementing the programme of activities for the International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People, 2 the need for adequate financial support from the international community, including support from within the United Nations system, and the need for adequate coordination and communication channels, Urging all parties to continue to intensify their efforts to achieve the goals of the Decade, _______________ 1 See Official Records of the Economic and Social Council, 2001, Supplement No. 3 (E/2001/23), chap. II, sect. A. 2 Resolution 50/157, annex. 01 48482