Leading Indigenous scholars Dr. Marie Battiste and Dr. J.Y. (Sa’ke’j) Henderson will each present a keynote talk at the University of Prince Edward Island on Monday, October 2 beginning at 6:30 pm. The lecture is open to the public.  In her talk, “Decolonizing Education: Indigenizing the Academy”, Dr. Battiste will speak about the importance of decolonizing our teaching practices and our curriculum in schools and universities, and what that involves. Describing Mi’kmaw consciousness, language and worldview, she will explore what it means to respect indigenous knowledge, and why this is a pressing ethical obligation for Canadian educational institutions at every level.   Dr. Henderson’s talk, “Affirming Mi’kmaw Treaty, Human Rights and Humanity,” will explore what was involved-- and what was compromised-- in the drafting and passage of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. He will answer the question of what is involved in respecting the humanity and basic human rights of indigenous peoples, and why it remains problematic for nation-states today, including Canada.