On 23 December 1994, the UN General Assembly, through resolution 49/214, decided that the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples would be observed on 9 August each year, marking the anniversary of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. Indigenous peoples number more than 476 million worldwide, living in some 90 countries and speaking the vast majority of the world's languages. The day matters because, despite being closely tied to cultural and linguistic diversity and environmental stewardship, indigenous peoples continue to face widespread discrimination, land dispossession, and economic and social marginalization in many parts of the world. It aims to promote recognition of their rights as set out in the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and to protect their traditional knowledge and endangered languages. The day is marked worldwide through cultural events showcasing indigenous art, crafts and music, dialogue forums addressing indigenous issues, and educational initiatives highlighting their historical and ongoing contributions to environmental conservation and cultural diversity.