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Association of World Reindeer Herders

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Areas of expertise & Fields of activity:	Economic and Social: Biodiversity Children Climate Change Economics and Finance Indigenous Peoples Gender Issues and Advancement of Women: Human rights of women Indigenous women Women and the economy Women in power and decision-making Sustainable Development: Agriculture Capacity-building Desertification and Drought Disaster management and vulnerability Education Energy Finance Forests Gender equality Health Human settlements Indicators Industrial development Information for decision-making and participation Institutional arrangements Integrated decision-making International cooperation for an enabling environment International law Land management Mining Mountains Partnerships Protecting and managing the natural resources Sanitation Science Sustainable Tourism Sustainable development in a globalizing world Technology Trade and environment Transport
Geographic scope:	International
Country of activity:	Sweden Finland Mongolia Russian Federation China Canada Denmark United States of America Norway
Millennium Development Goals:	Achieve universal primary education Promote gender equality and empower women Reduce child mortality Ensure environmental sustainability
Mission statement:	The purpose of the Association of World Reindeer Herders is to promote professional, cultural and commercial contact between the reindeer peoples in the world and to disseminate information about reindeer husbandry in the best possible way. In September 1993 the Sami Reindeers Herders Association of Norway (NBR/NRL)organized an international Reindeer Peoples’ Festival in Tromsø, in cooperation with the Russian Government and reindeer herders from Russia. Approximately 360 representatives from reindeer husbandy regions in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia and Alaska participated in the Festival. This was the first time in history that different reindeer peoples were able to meet with each other. This event marked the beginning of a unique cross-border cooperation between circumpolar reindeer peoples which ultimately resulted in the establishment of the Association of World Reindeer Herders. The First World Reindeer Herders’ Congress took place in the city of Nadym, in the Yamal region of Russia, in 1997, and was hosted and funded by the Russian government together with the regional authorities in the Yamal Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Participants included representatives from reindeer husbandry in the Nordic countries and Russia. The Congress resulted in the establishment of the Association of World Reindeer Herders (WRH). The aim of the association is to promote professional, cultural, social and economic relations between world reindeer peoples, as well as to disseminate information about the reindeer husbandry. The establishment of WRH provided reindeer herders with a forum for contact and cooperation, which contributed to bringing reindeer husbandry onto the international agenda. Already in 1999, the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Knut Vollebæk, took the initiative to add reindeer husbandry on the agenda of the international Arctic cooperation, which resulted in WRH being granted Observer status to Arctic Council. In 2001, the Second World Reindeer Herders’ Congress was held in Anar (Inari), in Northern Finland and was funded by the Finnish Government. The Congress adopted the ‘Anar-Declaration’, which is the first circumpolar statement developed by reindeer herders, and presents guidelines for the development of a sustainable reindeer husbandry for the future. The Third World Reindeer Herders’ Congress took place in the city of Yakutsk, in the Russian Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in March 2005. The Congress adopted the ‘Yakutsk-Declaration’, which emphasizes reindeer husbandry’s participation in the international cooperation in Arctic. The Congress was hosted and funded by the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and was part of an impressive campaign regarding the profile of reindeer husbandry and the Indigenous Peoples’ of the Republic. The last WRH Congress was held in Guovdageaidnu / Kautokeino in Norway in April 2009.
Year established:	1997
Year of registration:	1995
Organizational structure:	1. the Congress - Highest body, convenes every 4th year; 2. the Council (representatives from every reindeer herding region), assemlies once a year; 3. the Board, highest executive body, meetings when necessary; 4. the Secretariat
Funding structure:	Membership fees or dues Donations and grants from domestic sources Foreign and international grants

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