On April 22, 2016 as President of the International Inter-tribal Trade and Investment Organization (www.IITIO.org) I had the honour of giving the opening address to the inaugural International Inter-tribal Trade and Investment Conference in the Bell Court Room at the College of Law, University of Oklahoma.
IITIO has the mandate to: “To support and enhance the implementation of the global flow and exchange of Indigenous goods, services and investments.”
IITIO’s purpose is to: “Apply the group’s combined international expertise, passion and experience in addressing tangible issues that can assist in the global flow and exchange of Indigenous goods, services and investments.”
The organization’s principles are:
- Respect for the Indigenous teachings and, where possible, apply these teachings to the issue of international inter-tribal trade and investment.
- Respect and preference for environmentally sustainable international inter-tribal trade and investment practices.
- Sharing of Indigenous trading practices following the Group’s mandate to inform, educate and encourage all parties to Indigenous trade and investment to adopt these best practices where practicable.
- Fostering, through international inter-tribal trade and investment, healthy Indigenous communities and more robust and stable Indigenous economies.
The IITIO Conference brought together scholars, economists, lawyers, business leaders and tribal leaders interested and passionate about international inter-tribal trade. Our results from the one day gathering will now focus on research, writing and publication of scholarly peer-reviewed papers that will offer meaningful options to further the development of various sub-topics on International Inter-tribal trade. These scholarly papers will be presented at the faculty of law, Thompson Rivers University during the next IITIO Conference in six months.
Attached the reader will find a video of the opening address of the April 22, 2016 IITIO conference held at the College of Law, University of Oklahoma.
Appearing in the above photo are members of the IITIO Executive. From left to right: Jim Ransom, Gena Timberman, Lindsay Robertson, James Collard, Bradford W. Morse and Wayne D. Garnons-Williams