Aleksey Tsykarev is Chair of the Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples and Civic Diplomacy «Young Karelia», an NGO under special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. A lifetime activist for the rights of indigenous peoples in Russia, Mr. Tsykarev previously led the International Youth Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples and has served as an independent expert in several United Nations capacities.

He is a former Member and Chairperson-Rapporteur of the United Nations Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and current Expert and Vice Chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. He  also serves on the Global Task Force for the International Decade of Indigenous Languages 2022-2032.