The week long gathering, June 9-19, 2007, will incorporate meetings with President Morales, Congressional officials, and local NGO's.

AIO is taking Native American and Maori Ambassadors to Bolivia in the hopes of promoting an international Indigenous exchange.

"It is essential for these young Indigenous people to meet with President Morales, a leader of international stature and the first Indigenous leader of Bolivia. We are committed to helping build his vision of an international Indigenous network," said LaDonna Harris, President of AIO.

The group will engage in an intensive day long discussion with other Bolivian leaders and the Federation of Allyus in Northern Potosi to explore pathways for creating an international network of Bolivian, Maori and Native American leaders.

Both President Morales and the Federacion del Tropico de Cochabamba will be honored with separate AIO awards at receptions in La Paz and Cochabamba. The latter will be given the Taos Blue Lake Spirit of Indigeneity Award and the Former the AIO Peace Pipe Award and a traditional Maori war club from AMO.

"The AIO Peace Pipe Award is in recognition of President Morales being the highest ranking Indigenous elected leader in the Americas and for his work toward creating an international network of Indigenous peoples," says Laura Harris, AIO Executive Director.

The new design of the Taos Blue Lake Spirit of Indigeneity Award will be unveiled. Created in 2005, in 2007, Native artist Bob Haozous (Apache) designed a sculpture to reflect the award's intent to honor those who have made positive change in their communities by relying on their traditional cultural values.

The 2006/07 Class of American Indian Ambassadors is made up of eighteen 25-35 year old Native American professionals, representing eighteen tribes and thirteen states. They work in tribal government, as lawyers, non-profit directors, Ph.D. candidates and museum specialists.

In 2002, after the AIO Ambassadors Program traveled to New Zealand for a similar exchange, the Advancement of Maori Opportunity (AMO) was created and established an alliance between Maori and Native Americans.

Weaving a national Native network and building strong tribal governments, Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) catalyzes and facilitates culturally appropriate initiatives and opportunities that enrich the cultural, political and economic lives of Indigenous peoples. Founded by LaDonna Harris in 1970, AIO draws upon traditional Indigenous values to foster enlightened and responsible leadership, inspire stakeholder-driven solutions, and convene visionary leaders to probe contemporary issues and address challenges of the new century.

AIO is a national Native nonprofit headquartered in Albuquerque, NM.