The Indigenous Conference Brought Together Indigenous Leaders, Foreign and Domestic Governments With Energy Leaders in Oil, Gas, Mining and Renewable Energy Sector

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - June 13, 2016) - The Indigenous Center of Energy, in partnership with dmg::events, worked together to ensure that Indigenous voices were provided a forum for discussion at the 2016 Global Petroleum Show.

The successful launch of the Indigenous Conference on Energy and Mining welcomed speakers and delegates from around the world. Respected Elder Reg Crowshoe, former Chief of the Piikani Nation, welcomed delegates to Treaty 7 territory.

One of the many highlights included David Choquehuanca Cespedes, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Plurinational State of Bolivia as the first national government to understand the vision of the event and received a standing ovation from the delegates of the conference. Chancellor Choquehuanca stated, "It is important to generate dialogue mechanisms and share different positions that Bolivia is having over different themes. I am here to share those experiences and those positions as it is important to share those perspectives and views in shows like this one. Human beings are brothers and sisters and all people that feed from mother earth's milk, that is water, are brothers and sisters. So it is important for us to share all the issues and problems that are global so we can discuss and work together to address those global issues."

Chris Karamea Insley, Chairman of Te Rau Aroha Charitable Trust in New Zealand, recognized the importance of all Indigenous leaders together that "at a basic value level we just connect". Furthermore, Insley noted, "it's incredibly helpful and potentially really powerful if Indigenous peoples of the world can come together and form some strong common views and take those common views out as a block into those big discussions of the world."

On behalf of the Global Petroleum Show and the Indigenous Center of Energy, we would like to thank the Indigenous Nations from around the world, foreign and domestic governments and the energy sector for joining the conference. Recognizing the inclusion of the indigenous voice in energy discussions is an important step to ensure we utilize indigenous principals when exploring global energy markets.

Cheryl Cardinal, who is the President/CEO of the Indigenous Center of Energy, based on the Sucker Creek Cree Nation in northern Alberta, invited speakers from Bolivia, Mexico, United States, New Zealand, Namibia, the World Bank and Canada.

The next Indigenous Conference on Energy and Mining is currently being planned for the 2017 Global Petroleum Show in Calgary, Canada on June 13 - 15.