Indigenous Commission for Communications Technologies in the Americas (ICCTA) Comisión Indígena para Tecnologías de Comunicaciones en las Américas (CITCA) CITCAICCTA Tony Belcourt

CITCAICCTA 2 ICCTA Mission Statement: “To promote the appropriate use and development of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to strengthen the recovery of the roots of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas and their legal, political, social, educational, cultural, spiritual and economic well-being.”

CITCAICCTA  ICCTA is a champion for the Indigenous Peoples securing support and loosening log jams blocking ICT solutions.

CITCAICCTA  ICCTA is a connector, linking local Indigenous Peoples community leaders and organizations with each other and the private sector, governments, academia, industries and NGOs.

CITCAICCTA  ICCTA is a guide, pinpointing market opportunities for and among Indigenous Peoples; highlighting proven programs and services; and featuring potential sources of funding and support.

CITCAICCTA  Its voting members are Indigenous people and their governments, organizations, businesses and institutions. Its non-voting members are non- Indigenous business, NGO’s, governments and academia.

CITCAICCTA  The ICCTA was formed by the participants attending the “1st Indigenous Workshop on Communications Technologies in the Americas” in Mexico in December 2005, which was co-hosted by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and the Mexican Government through the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples (CDI).

CITCAICCTA  More than 150 participants representing 19 countries of the Americas and the Caribbean Region chose the first Directors of the Commission. Through funding provided by the Canadian government, they met in Guatemala in March 2007 to decide on the fundamentals of the organization and structure that form the basis for its by-laws.

CITCAICCTA 9  The ICCTA was incorporated through the Canada Corporations Act in January Its Head Office is in Ottawa, Canada.

CITCAICCTA 10 ICCTA Executive Committee President: Tony Belcourt, Canada Vice-Presidents: Jayariyu Farias Montiel, Venezuela Marleny Tzicap, Guatemala Marisol Llantoy Barboza, Peru Secretary-Treasurer: Pedro Victoriano Cruz, Mexico

CITCAICCTA 11 A current Board of 17 Commissioners manages the organization. A recruitment campaign is now under way to recruit members from all other countries not currently represented on the Board. The structure provides for one Indigenous representative per country of the Americas who is chosen by the caucus of its voting members at each annual assembly.

CITCAICCTA 12  Other Commissioners are: Geoffrey Blackwell, USA Manuel Castro, Ecuador Jose Fernando Conejo, Colombia Damon Corrie, CARICOM Nelson De Leon Kantule, Panama Ali Garcia, Costa Rica Felix Gutierrez, Bolivia Paula Hernandez, Uruguay Miguel Medina, Argentina Marcos Terena, Brazil Ada Villareal, Nicaragua Ellech Wiltshire, Nicaragua

CITCAICCTA  ICCTA’s goal is to be the “meeting place” for all stakeholders: Indigenous Peoples, governments, corporations, NGO’s and agencies with programs and services with a focus on Indigenous peoples and their communities.

CITCAICCTA  ICCTA’s Databases: Who’s Who Peoples and Cultures Funding Sources News and Blogs ICTs in Action Marketing and Trade Corporate Social Responsibility

CITCAICCTA  The ICCTA has been in discussions with the ITU and the International Indigenous Task Force (IITF) concerning the development of a portal to serve the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. This portal was turned over to the IITF at a meeting in Brazil in August, ICCTA has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the IITF to develop and maintain the portal.

CITCAICCTA  Numerous agencies and institutions support and encourage the development and well being of Indigenous peoples and their communities. ICCTA is a unique international Indigenous organization which is ideally placed to serve as the catalyst to implement their commitments.

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