Oren Lyons

A highly recognized college lacrosse player at Syracuse University during his undergraduate years, Lyons later became increasingly active as an advocate for the rights of Indigenous peoples.

[7] While working for Norcross, Lyons appeared as a challenger on the February 14, 1960 episode of the popular panel game show What's My Line?.

[7] In 1971, during a protest against the expansion of I-81 through the Onondaga Reservation in New York state, Lyons met with singer/songwriters John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

At Nambassa he coordinated with Maori land rights activists on questions of indigenous peoples sharing his Native American experiences.

[11] For more than fourteen years he has taken part in meetings in Geneva of Indigenous Peoples of the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations.

[citation needed] He serves on the Executive Committee of the Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival, and is a principal figure in the Traditional Circle of Indian Elders.

He was a negotiator among the governments of Canada, the province of Quebec, New York State, and the Mohawk in the Oka crisis during the summer of 1990.

[citation needed] In 1992, Lyons addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations where he opened the International Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples.

[12] Lyons was among those featured in the one-hour documentary Faithkeeper (1991), produced and hosted by Bill Moyers[13] It was broadcast on PBS, July 3, 1991.