Link of the Day: Jan 3 2013 For the first time in history a nation-state, Bolivia, has set out to meld indigenous tradition and modernity, leading other nations in “moral evolution”.

A Bolivian aymara woman praying (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Indigenous Peoples' caucus in Cancun (Photo credit: Oxfam International)

Evo Morales and Cultures Minister Elizabeth Salguero attend the Pujllay festival, which their administration has nominated for UNESCO recognition (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, December 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bolivia charters a totally new direction for law: indigenous people given maximum protection, as is Pachamama --- Mother Earth --- herself. As Courtney Parker writes on a Web site known as intercontinentalcry.org: “EvoMorales’s very name seems to suggest his destiny of leading Bolivia in avaliant attempt at ‘moral evolution’ with all other Nation States in tow.Tasked with the difficult role of representing his Indigenous roots at thenational and international levels of government and policy, Morales continuesto make great strides that by all appearances bridge the dichotomy of traditionand modernity. Recent evolutions in Bolivian national policy regarding theprotection and preservation of indigenous cultures continue to gain legaltraction. Simultaneously, more Bolivians than ever before are poised to claimtheir rightful place in the interconnected web that is the information age.”  Read details of this bold effort here.