Doreen Spence, indigenous woman from Cree Nation in northern Canada

Born of Cree ancestry in Northern Alberta, Doreen Spence has represented her people and the values by which they live in an effective and exemplary manner for the past thirty-five years.Drawing on her own experiences as an Indigenous woman as well as from those peoples across the world, Doreen is capable of addressing any issue that impacts the Aboriginal community. The majority of her time is dedicated to performing volunteer work inNative and Non-Native communities with a consistent emphasis on Aboriginal issues and concerns. Doreen’s main goal is to build an understanding between all Nations.

Between speaking engagements and her responsibilities as Executive Director for the Canadian Indigenous Women’s Resource Institute, Doreen still manages to find time to offer her wisdom to many local, national and international organizations. In particular, the United Nations Working Group on IndigenousPopulations which holds an annual conference in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2002, she was requested to provide assistance to the Slovakian government with regards to their relationship with the Roma people.

Doreen’s work in the field of human rights and the protection of fundamental freedoms for her people is unsurpassed in terms of historical and social content; clarity and effectiveness of presentation; in-depth knowledge of various Indigenous cultures and her empathy with the people for whom she works.In Canada, she has been active in the Alberta Civil Liberties Association Committee Against Racism, served as President of the Plains Indian Cultural Survival School Society for seventeen years and been appointed Secretary of the Dignity Foundation, a human rights organization.

Internationally, she has worked with the Maasai people at a school in Africa and taken training in conflict resolutionwith UNITAR.In 2004, her contributions to human rights and conflict resolution worldwide were recognized when she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.