International Indian Treaty Council (IITC)

The International Indian Treaty Council (IITC) is an organization of Indigenous Peoples from North, Central, South America, the Caribbean and the Pacific working for the Sovereignty and Self Determination of Indigenous Peoples and the recognition and protection of Indigenous Rights, Treaties, Traditional Cultures and Sacred Lands.

Founded in June 1974 at a gathering on the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota, the event was attended by more than 5000 representatives from 98 Indigenous Nations. The symbol of the sacred pipe uniting the hemisphere was chosen by the elders to represent the common bonds of spirituality, relationship to the land and traditional culture shared by all Indigenous Peoples.

The IITC supports Indigenous Peoples’ struggles for human and Treaty rights, self-determination, food sovereignty, environmental health and justice through information dissemination, coalition building, advocacy, training and technical assistance. It builds the direct, effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in regional, national and international events, gatherings and policy discussions addressing their rights, ways of life and survival.

In 1977 IITC became the first Indigenous Peoples’ organization to be recognized as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) with Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

International Indian Treaty Council (IITC)