The Indigenous Council of Roraima (CIR), through its Legal Department, continues to strengthen the partnership with indigenous teachers from the Macuxi and Wapichana peoples for the translation of Convention No. 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO). In this phase of the project, the third meeting of indigenous teachers, translators and proofreaders took place today (22), at the organization's headquarters, reaffirming the commitment to the appreciation of native languages and the realization of indigenous rights.
The initiative, officially launched in September 2025, represents a historic milestone in the struggle to guarantee the rights of indigenous peoples in Roraima. The translation of the Convention enables communities to understand, in a clear and accessible way, the rights and duties guaranteed by the international instrument, especially with regard to the right to prior, free and informed consultation, as well as the self-determination of indigenous peoples.
Professors Albertino de Souza, Belinda de Souza and Lavínia Pereira Xavier participate directly in the translation and revision process, through the Macuxi language of the Raposa region. From the Wapichana language, from the Serra da Lua region, Benedita André da Silva, Suzete Cassimiro Manduca and Joice Alberto de Souza participate.
The work is permanently monitored by the CIR's Legal Department, coordinated by lawyer Junior Nicacio Wapichana, and with the performance of lawyers Fernanda Félix Wapichana and Luciane Xavier Macuxi, as well as the law intern, Luciano Wapichana. ensuring technical-legal rigor to the translation process.
With Convention No. 169 translated into the Macuxi and Wapichana languages, the indigenous peoples of Roraima now have a fundamental tool for the defense of their territories, their social organization and their collective rights. The initiative strengthens the autonomy of indigenous communities and qualifies dialogue with government agencies and other institutions.