{"id":8270,"date":"2025-10-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apnql.com\/the-afnql-at-the-united-nations-unpfii-2025\/"},"modified":"2025-10-16T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T22:00:00","slug":"the-afnql-at-the-united-nations-unpfii-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apnql.com\/en\/the-afnql-at-the-united-nations-unpfii-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"The AFNQL at the United Nations – UNPFII 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

FIRST NATIONS IN QUEBEC DELIVER POWERFUL MESSAGE IN TIMES SQUARE CALLING FOR RESPECT FOR THEIR RIGHTS<\/h2>\n
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New York, April 22, 2025<\/h3>\n

A spectacular event took place in the heart of Manhattan when a message from the First Nations Mission to the UN was broadcast for 24 hours on one of the giant screens in Times Square, one of the most famous and bustling places in the world.<\/p>\n

\u201cIndigenous peoples\u2019 rights: call for respect for the #UNDRIP in Quebec (Canada)\u201d<\/h3>\n

This is what thousands of people will see repeated throughout the day, a direct and straightforward call to the governments of Quebec and Canada to respect the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).<\/p>\n

In parallel with their participation in the 24th session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), members of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) delegation visited Times Square this morning to watch their message being displayed live.<\/p>\n

“We wanted to raise awareness and highlight to the international community the need for Quebec to fully commit to implementing the UNDRIP, an essential step in respecting the rights of Indigenous peoples. We also wanted to highlight the inconsistency of federal implementation of the UNDRIP when a state such as Quebec is not making a concrete commitment to it, forcing our Nations to turn to the courts to enforce rights that should be undeniable,” said AFNQL Chief Francis Verreault-Paul at the unveiling.<\/p>\n

The delegation claims to have taken this bold step to remind everyone that the rights recognized in the UNCRC must be effectively implemented, including in federated states such as Quebec.<\/p>\n

About the AFNQL delegation<\/h3>\n

Under the coordination of the Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL), the delegation includes representatives from the communities of the Innu Nation (Ekuanitshit, Essipit, Mashteuiatsh, Matimekush-Lac John, Pakua Shipi, Pessamit, Nutashkuan, Unamen Shipu, and Uashat mak Mani-utenam), the Anishnabe First Nations of Lac-Simon and Kebaowek, and the Atikamekw First Nation of Wemotaci. The members of the delegation are:<\/p>\n