The role of business in the life of indigenous peoples as well as ways of interaction between large companies and local ethnic groups were discussed as part of the final stage of the All-Russian competitive educational program «Indigenous Minorities of Russia. School of Public Diplomacy»
Vasily Zakharov, Head of Regional Programs at Norilsk Nickel, held a meeting with the finalists of the All-Russian Competitive Educational Program “Indigenous Minorities of Russia. School of Public Diplomacy". He talked about the active economic activity of the mining and metallurgical companies in the places of traditional settlements of indigenous peoples and spoke about the successful completion of the unique FPIC procedure in Taimyr. It is reported by Komsomolskaya Pravda.
The final stage of the competition included a course of lectures and master classes, as well as acquaintance with the work of relevant state bodies: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Federation Council, the Federal Agency for Nationalities.
“Why did we invite Norilsk Nickel today? Because their approaches in the field of interaction with indigenous peoples are the best in the country," Grigory Dyukarev, Chairman of the Council of Representatives of Indigenous Minorities of the Krasnoyarsk Territory was quoted as saying.
"If these approaches are widely discussed and disseminated, then we can apply something in other territories, and perhaps even international financial institutions will begin to take into account the experience of Norilsk Nickel in their policies."
Vasily Zakharov, Head of Regional Programs at Norilsk Nickel, also spoke about “increasing the potential of indigenous peoples”. According to him, learning and development in the field of indigenous peoples will help "many trainees become leaders among their peoples and accumulate, express their point of view and help people make decisions within the established procedures."
Earlier, Grigory Dyukarev, Chairman of the Taimyr Indigenous Minorities Association, confirmed that Norilsk Nickel's work on interaction with indigenous peoples is being carried out promptly and in a timely manner. Including in terms of joint activities with the Research Institute of Agriculture and Ecology of the Arctic.
The company is the general sponsor of the competition. The meeting was held at the site of the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North and the Far East of the Russian Federation.