United Religions Initiative Stands

with the Ihanktowan Treaty

Committee, the Brave Heart Society
and the International Treaty to
Protect the Sacred from Tar Sands
Projects

STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR THE

IHANKTONWAN TREATY COMMITTEE,
THE BRAVE HEART SOCIETY, AND THE INTERNATIONAL TREATY TO
PROTECT THE SACRED FROM TAR SANDS PROJECTS

January 15, 2019

Ft. Randall, Ihanktonwan Territory, Yankton Sioux Tribe

Very Honored and Respected, Ihanktowan Treaty Committee, Grandmother Faith Spotted Eagle, and
other Grandmothers, Mothers, and Daughters of the Brave Heart Society, the Oceti Sakowin and
Protectors of Mother Earth,

We are the United Religions Initiative (URI), a global grassroots network of 980 Interfaith
Cooperation Circles, in 108 Nations, around Mother Earth. Our work reaches across religious and
cultural divides.

From our inception in 2000, URI has recognized the fundamental importance of including the voices
and full participation of the Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth in every dimension of the work of
URI. This importance is expressed in the first sentence of our Charter:

We, people of diverse religions, spiritual expressions and ​Indigenous traditions ​throughout the
world, hereby establish the United Religions Initiative to promote enduring, daily interfaith

The Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian Jr., Executive Director

PO Box 29242, 1009 General Kennedy Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94129-0242 USA
vkazanjian@uri.org ~ +1 415 561-2300 ~ www.uri.org

URI is global non-governmental organization with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice, and
healing for the Earth and all living beings.

In July 2014, URI convened its first Global Indigenous Initiative Gathering to guide our International
work with Indigenous Peoples. At this historic Gathering, Indigenous spiritual and cultural Leaders,
including the 7th Generation, from six continents, met together in prayerful consultation. The result
of this prayerful consultation is outlined in our URI Global Indigenous Mandate for Unprecedented,
Unified Action for Protecting and Restoring the Sacred:

1. To support the global emergence of the “Seventh Generation”, as promised, by fostering

youth participation, leadership, and wisdom in all decision-making processes impacting all
life on Mother Earth;
2. To create Sacred Gardens to preserve, protect and perpetuate plant life and healing herbs
central to Indigenous communities;
3. To accurately depict Indigenous arts and cultures through the media as expressions of the
Sacred;
4. To protect and restore Sacred Sites for ceremonial use, and the repatriation of all cultural
effects to their Indigenous Peoples of origin.
5. To galvanize connections with various global networks to mutually support the Global
Indigenous Initiative and other Indigenous efforts worldwide;
6. To stop the assault on Mother Earth by extractive industries that are destroying our waters
and lands, and sacred sites, causing a grievous imbalance to the natural laws of Mother
Earth; and
7. To facilitate decision-making by leaders that is good for seven generations into the future,
known by Indigenous People as “seven generations” decision-making.

We honor the Brave Heart Society for your dedication to manifest this vision long before the
inception of URI. The Brave Heart Society, have been, and are a great inspiration in our
understanding and support of Indigenous Peoples, worldwide.

URI recognizes the honored and fundamental importance of embracing the ancient wisdom and
leadership of Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth in manifesting Global Justice, Peace, Harmony,
and Prosperity. Globally, we are deeply moved by the prayerful and peaceful displays of

The Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian Jr., Executive Director

PO Box 29242, 1009 General Kennedy Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94129-0242 USA
vkazanjian@uri.org ~ +1 415 561-2300 ~ www.uri.org

URI is global non-governmental organization with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
Sovereignty, Strength and Unprecedented Unity of Indigenous Nations across Turtle Island and the
Americas in Protecting and Restoring our Mother Earth. Most especially, we want to recognize the
Grandmothers, Mothers, and Daughters of the Brave Heart Society and the key role you played,
along with the Pawnee Nation and the Four Worlds International Institute co-organizing, hosting the
Gathering

We stand with you in calling for the full implementation of free, prior and informed consent, as
outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, as the standard set
forth in all present and future Nation-to-Nation-consultative exchanges across Turtle Island and
affirm that these conditions are at the core of all consultative processes between the Indigenous
Nations and Tribes across the Americas and beyond.

We support the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, UNDRIP, in its
entirety and we are grateful to you and all those at the Protect the Sacred Wopida, who are standing
with you in implementing the Spirit and Intent of UNDRIP, through peaceful, prayerful,
unprecedented, unified action.

URI fully supports your Inherent Sovereignty and Self-Determination and the right of all Indigenous
Peoples to fully express their spiritual and cultural traditions and to determine the life path of their
communities.

We will hold the Gathering to Protect the Sacred in prayer on January 15, 2019. The positive results
and long-range impact of the 2013 Gathering, co-sponsored and hosted by the Brave Heart Society,
the Yankton Sioux Tribe, Yankton Treaty Committee, Yankton General Counsel, the Pawnee Nation
and the Four Worlds International Institute, went far, far beyond URI’s financial support and the
financial support of the many other organizations that financially supported the Gathering to Protect
the Sacred, January 2013.

Thank you for your impeccable stewardship of these resources into unprecedented, unified action, far
beyond our expectations. The Brave Heart Society is a great inspiration in our global work, with
many others, to establish peace on our Mother Earth.

We affirm our support of the US Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act which
mandates for the protection of native burial grounds; the American Indian Religious Freedom Act;
and the United Nations International Treaties which protect Sacred Sites worldwide (such as the
1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property, of which the US is a party).

The Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian Jr., Executive Director

PO Box 29242, 1009 General Kennedy Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94129-0242 USA
vkazanjian@uri.org ~ +1 415 561-2300 ~ www.uri.org

URI is global non-governmental organization with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
We avow, under all conditions, that the US Constitution, as well as, the Inherent Sovereignty and
Natural Laws of Indigenous Nations, protect the right of “Free Speech and Assembly.” Furthermore,
that these Sacred Rights be upheld across the Oceti Sakowin, its Territories and beyond. We fully
support that the Human Rights of all those lawfully gathered together to peacefully, to Protect the
Sacred, unimpeded by the threat and use of emotional, psychological and physical violence, of any
form.

We stand with the Brave Hearts, the Oceti Sakowin, and all Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth in
Protecting and Restoring, Sacred Sites of our Human Family. Your prayers, ceremonies, faith, and
unprecedented, unified action at the Gathering to Protect the Sacred, January 23-25, 2013, manifested
a Seed Crystal, for historic, unprecedented, unification of Indigenous Peoples, and all Members of
the Human Family, that is now unfolding.

The Brave Hearts and the Oceti Sakowin are a global inspiration for all Peoples and all Nations who
are dedicated to maintaining a Way of Life, based on Spiritual Teachings that respect and honor the
Sacredness of all Life! Especially, the Sacred waters of Mother Earth, on which all life depends.

We wish to express our gratitude and thanksgiving for all the First Nations and Tribal Peoples from
across Turtle Island and Mother Earth who rallied behind the Gathering to Protect the Sacred and the
International Treaty to Protect the Sacred, physically, and for al those who stand with you, in prayer
and support from afar.

URI commits its solidarity with the Brave Heart Society and the Oceti Sakowin and all Indigenous
Peoples in their efforts to become green, energy, self-sufficient, as you move ahead to implement
sustainable and renewable energy sources. The time has come to free ourselves from any energy
sources harmful to our Mother Earth and our current and future generations.

The Dakota Access Pipeline, the Keystone XL, and other related pipelines pose a serious threat to
Sacred Sites and culturally significant locations throughout the Territories of the Oceti Sakowin and
beyond. We recognize, if these Pipelines proceed, they will damage and destroy Sacred Sites, and the
very water on which all Life depends! All Members of the Human Family have an inherent right to
protect their ancestral lands from destruction! It is with this understanding that we stand united in
support of the Brave Heart Society, the Oceti Sakowin Sioux and all Members of our Human Family
who are standing up to Protect and Restore the Sacred.

URI will continue to stand beside the Indigenous Peoples of Mother Earth, and pray and take
unprecedented, unified action together. We will continue to pray and take peaceful,
principle-centered, unified action with all Members of our Human Family, until we all understand

The Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian Jr., Executive Director

PO Box 29242, 1009 General Kennedy Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94129-0242 USA
vkazanjian@uri.org ~ +1 415 561-2300 ~ www.uri.org

URI is global non-governmental organization with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
that your struggle to Protect and Restore the Sacred, in harmony, with natural physical and spiritual
but, as well, for the health, safety, and well-being of all current and future generations of the Human
Family and Life, everywhere on Mother Earth!

In peace,

The Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian Jr.

Executive Director
United Religions Initiative

Presented on behalf of URI, by Dakota and Chickasaw Elder, Phil Lane, Jr., URI Global
Trustee, to the Gathering to Protect the Sacred Wopida Gathering

The Rev. Victor H. Kazanjian Jr., Executive Director

PO Box 29242, 1009 General Kennedy Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94129-0242 USA
vkazanjian@uri.org ~ +1 415 561-2300 ~ www.uri.org

URI is global non-governmental organization with special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations