Alberto Saldamando

Alberto Saldamando (Xicano/Zapoteca) is an internationally acknowledged expert on human rights and Indigenous rights and has represented Indigenous Peoples, organizations, and communities from various countries from most regions of the world before United Nations human rights mechanisms, as well as the International Labor Organization, the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development specific instance procedure.

In 2009 Alberto began his climate change work with the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN) at the Copenhagen Conference of Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and in 2012 he accepted the position as counsel to the IEN on Climate Change and Indigenous and Human Rights. In this role, he serves as IEN’s head of delegation to UNFCCC Conferences of Parties and related fora. Alberto previously spent 18 years serving as General Counsel of the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), and is very proud of his very active participation in the negotiations leading to the UN Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples, the establishment of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the initial mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples. In addition to representing indigenous individuals, tribes, and nations in the human rights arena, his work with the IITC included advising on organizational matters and the development and implementation of a Human and Indigenous Rights program, training, and activities.