Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO)
Logo
Map indicating worldwide UNPO membership (click to enlarge and for legend).
Headquarters	The Hague, Netherlands
Membership	42 groups
Leaders
• General Secretary	Marino Busdachin (since 2003)
• President	Ngawang Choephel Drakmargyapon (since May 2010)
• Vice-President	Mohamoud Daar (since December 2012)
Establishment	11 February 1991
Website http://www.unpo.org/

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) is an international pro-democracy organization. It was formed on 11 February 1991 in The Hague, Netherlands. Its purpose is to facilitate the voices of unrepresented and marginalised nations and peoples worldwide. Technically, it is not a non-governmental organization (NGO) as some of its members are governments or government agencies of unrecognized states. Its members consist of indigenous peoples, minorities, and unrecognised or occupied territories. UNPO trains groups in how to advocate their causes effectively. Some former members, such as Armenia, East Timor, Estonia, Latvia, Georgia and Palau, have gained full independence and joined the United Nations.

UNPO was conceived of in the 1980s by leaders of self-determination movements, Linnart Mäll of the Congress of Estonia, Erkin Alptekin, of East Turkestan, and Lodi Gyari of Tibet, together with Michael van Walt van Praag, long the international law adviser of the 14th Dalai Lama. The founders were representatives of national movements of Estonia, Latvia, Tibet, Crimean Tatars, Armenia, Georgia, Tatarstan, East Turkestan, East Timor, Australian Aboriginals, The Cordillera, the Greek Minority in Albania, Kurdistan, Palau, Taiwan, and West Papua.

UNPO chose for its founding headquarters in 1991 The Hague in the Netherlands because the city aimed at becoming the International City of Peace and Justice and hosts international courts like the ICJ and ICC. UNPO has an advocacy office in Brussels, representation in Geneva and a network of associates and consultants based around the world. UNPO is funded by member contributions and donations from individuals and foundations. A key UNPO goal was to replicate the success of the 14th Dalai Lama's non-violent message, and they often mentioned his name in the early years of the organization, as well as including in publications pictures of him visiting UNPO and supporting statements he made of the organization.