Saami Council | |
Formation | 1956 |
---|---|
Type | NGO |
Location | |
Region served | Sápmi |
Fields | Indigenous rights |
Membership | 9 organizations |
Main organ | Saami Conference |
Affiliations | Arctic Council |
Website | saamicouncil |
Formerly called | Nordic Saami Council |
The Saami Council (Northern Sami: Sámiráđđi; Lule Sami: Sámeráde; Southern Sami: Saemienraerie; Inari Sami: Sämirääđi; Skolt Sami: Sääʹmsuåvtõs; Kildin Sami: Са̄мь Соббар; Pite Sami: Sámerárre) is a voluntary, non-governmental organization of the Sámi people made up of nine Sámi member organizations from Finland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden. Since the founding of the Nordic Saami Council in 1956, among the first indigenous peoples' organizations, the Saami Council has actively dealt with Sámi public policy tasks. In 1992, when Russian Sámi groups joined the council, "Nordic" was removed from the council's name.[1][2] The secretary was previously sited in both Helsinki and Utsjoki, Finland, but is now in Kárášjohka, Norway. The Saami Council is funded by a range of grants, and its engagements are based on decisions, statements, declarations, and political programs from the Saami Conference held every four years.