#GuardiansoftheForest – Road to Bonn #COP23

Guardians of the Forest Vlog - Cologne

The first vlog is in - meet the indigenous leaders and community members on the bus and find out why they're in Cologne!

Mina Setra Dayak Pompakng Leader, Indonesia
Candido Mezúa, Embera Leader, Panama
Ginger Sanchez, ACOFOP Communicator, Guatemala
Mark Rivas, Miskitu Leader, Nicaragua
Dinamam Tuxá, Tuxá Leader, Brazil
Patricía Juruna, Juruna Leader, Brazil

Guardians of the Forest in Brussels - VLOG #2

The next stop on the bus tour is Brussels - find out what the guardians of the forest got up to - on the road to Bonn #COP23.

Vlog #3 - Guardians of the Forest in LONDON

When the #GuardiansoftheForest arrived in #London they took their messages to the heart of one of the world's financial centres, denouncing damaging impacts of foreign profiteering in their territories, and to tell decision makers that they are the best guardians of the forest.

Check out this third stop on their route to #COP23

#Guardianesdelbosque
#ifnotusthenwho

Vlog #4 - Guardians of the Forest in PARIS

The fourth stop on the #GuardiansoftheForest European Tour to #COP23 - #Paris! Check out how they got on in the home of the Paris Climate Agreement.

In Paris they met with Carole Bureau-Bonnard, Vice-President of the National Assembly and Nicolas Hulot, Minister for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition, to talk about how indigenous peoples hold key climate solutions.

The Guardians of the Forest are indigenous leaders from Mesoamerica, the Amazon Basin and Brazil, Indonesia and the Congo Basin. They travelled across Europe on their way to the UN Climate Conference in Bonn to tell the world about the situations indigenous peoples are facing and that they are the real climate solutions.

Follow their route: https://guardiansoftheforest.me/route/
to #COP23
#GuardianesdelBosque
#ifnotusthenwho

VLOG #5 - Guardians of the Forest in AMSTERDAM

On their route to #COP23 the #GuardiansoftheForest went to Amsterdam to share their solutions to climate change with Dutch politicians and NGOs.

They presented their Guardians of the Forest declaration to Dutch Green Party MP Suzanne Kroger​ to deliver to the Dutch Parliament, and discussed the role of indigenous land rights in fighting climate change with representatives of Dutch NGOs in a packed Political Café event.

The long journey on the bus was finally broken up with a trip to the forest to meet Dutch activists at their Climate Change Camp and spend some important time with nature.

#GuardianesdelBosque
#ifnotusthenwho

VLOG #6 Guardians of the Forest in BERLIN

Berlin was the last stop on the #GuardiansoftheForest route to #COP23.

They were joined by scientists whose data reinforces their message that indigenous peoples are vital to fighting climate change. Their forests are the only functional carbon capture and storage technology that we have available, and they are its best guardians.

They took their messages to the famous Berlin monument of the Brandenburg Gate and to an event with decision makers at the Natural History Museum.

Guardians of the Forest - Costa Rica

Indigenous communities and their traditional knowledge offer a very real approach to tackle climate change.

Walmer Estrada Reyes talks about the reforestation project in Talamanca, Costa Rica.

Watch the full film here: https://youtu.be/-dyBxrGaLew

Guardians of the Forest - Nicaragua

On paper we have legal recognition but still our land is invaded - Larry Salomon, Community Lawyer, Nicaragua

The fight for defending their land is very real with the Mayangna peoples of Nicaragua.

Watch the full film: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/films/land-right-conflict-indigenous-territory/

Find out more about Larry here: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/who/larry-salomon/

Indigenous leaders take their message to London - Candido Mezúa, Embera leader, Panamá

Vlog from young indigenous filmmaker Ivan Jaripio on the road to Bonn.

More about Ivan: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/es/who/ivan-jaripio/

More about Candido: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/es/who/candido-mezur-salazar-2/

Guardians of the Forest - Ivan Jaripio and the Embera youth

Ivan is one of the youth Forest Guardians on the road to Bonn #COP23 this week. Take a look at his Embera culture in Panama.

Reclaiming and strengthening indigenous culture is vital to maintaining ancestral connections to nature. This must be passed onto future generations by celebrating indigenous traditions. Embera youth are spearheading a cultural revival, after decades of assimilation, through traditional body painting and storytelling. Meanwhile sustainable community forestry initiatives are creating low impact income for communities that rely on healthy forests for their survival.

Find out more about Ivan here: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/who/ivan-jaripio/

Find out more about Mara here: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/who/mara-barrigon/

Watch the full Embera film here: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/films/indigenous-culture-needed-to-protect-forests/

Guardians of the Forest - Rusmedia

The Guardians of the Forest arrived in Berlin yesterday, meanwhile Rusmedia talks about life in North Sumatra defending their land against corporate interests.

The Guardians of the Forest are indigenous leaders from Mesoamerica, the Amazon Basin and Brazil, Indonesia and the Congo Basin. They are travelling across Europe on their way to the UN Climate Conference in Bonn to tell the world about the situations indigenous peoples are facing and that they are the real climate solutions.

Watch the full film here: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/films/conflict-eucalyptus-indigenous-communities-indonesia/

Find out more about Rusmedia here: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/who/rusmedia-lumban-gaol/

Guardians of the World's Biodiversity - La Moskitia, Honduras

"It's always special to see communities protecting their natural resources. It gives us strength to create and promote empowerment." Norvin Goff, President of MASTA

Did you know, Indigenous peoples represent 4% of the global population yet they protect more than 80% of the world’s biodiversity?

Watch the full story: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/films/land-rights-biodiversity/

Indigenous peoples: We are the best guardians of the forest

Indigenous peoples represent 4% of the global population yet they protect more than 80% of the world’s biodiversity [source: World Bank].

They are the best Guardians of the forest, for example there is deforestation is 2 to 3 times lower in the Amazon rainforest where indigenous peoples have rights.

Indigenous people’s protection of the world’s forests is vital to combat climate change.

Pygmy Peoples of the DRC: A Rising Movement - teaser

Pygmy peoples movement grows in solidarity - in Français, Español and English.

Watch the full film now: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/films/fight-recognition-drc/

Luiz Eloy Terena - APIB no Parlamento Europeu

"Nos entendemos que o direito dos povos indígenas são originarios, não deve ser negociados e deve ser mantidos. Isto foi o espírito da Constitução de 88"

Luiz Eloy Terena, Assessor Jurídico da Articulação dos Povos Indígenas no Parlamento Europeu - Bruxelas

Os Guardiões da Floresta, lideranças indígenas da Amazônia Legal, Brasil, Mesoamérica e Indonésia, estão circulando por toda Europa para expor ao mundo a situação dos povos indígenas de suas regiões.

Sonia Guajajara no Parlamento Europeu - Guardiões da Floresta

"Agora nos voltamos para aqui pidiendo ao Parlamento Europeu que baixe uma resolução pidiendo a continuidade a demarcação dos povos indígenas, mas também respeitando aos direitos desses povos e reconheciendo o crimem de ecocidio."

Sônia Guajajara, Coordenação Executiva, APIB - no Parlamento Europeu.

Os Guardiões da Floresta, lideranças indígenas da Amazônia Legal, Brasil, Mesoamérica e Indonésia, estão circulando por toda Europa para expor ao mundo a situação dos povos indígenas de suas regiões.

Guardians of the Forest - Mama Do Aru, Maluku

Mama Do from Aru, Maluku, Indonesia is part of of the Guardians of the Forest tour #COP23

Although she is the only female champion of the tribe fighting for her customary lands, Mama Do remains strong despite continued intimidation from members of the police, criminalization, and even death threats.

She continues to tell her story tirelessly across Europe.

Environmental Defenders

2016 was the deadliest year to be an environment defender, on average 4 are killed every week.

Join the guardians of the forest as they demand an end to the violence and criminalisation of indigenous peoples.

Message to the European Union

Leaders of the Brazilian delegation of Forest Guardians send their message to the European Union, in Brussels.
The Guardians of the Forest include indigenous leaders of the Amazon, Brazil, Mesoamerica and Indonesia, they are traveling throughout Europe to expose the world to the situation of the indigenous peoples of their regions ahead of the climate change conference, COP23 in Bonn, Germany.

Abundant Forests

Guardians of the forest demand their ancestral knowledge be heard. On the road to #COP23, they are appealing for the valuation and incorporation of ancestral knowledge on the policies to prevent and face climate change.

"If forests are destroyed and cleared away, it means that there will be no source of medicine, there will be no more life.”

Watch the full story from the Mentawai islands here: https://ifnotusthenwho.me/films/indigenous-communities-fight-off-conflict-palm-oil/

Remembering Environment Defender Charlie Taylor

Recalina speaks about the murder of her husband Charlie Taylor, who was killed in 2013, in Nicaragua, defending his land.

Indigenous leaders who are on a tour of European cities on the road to Bonn #COP23 demand for a halt to the violence and criminalization of indigenous leaders and activists.

Watch the full film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnZ-oBAvlXA

Decolonize the media - indigenous filmmakers -Guardians of the Forest - Road to Bonn #COP23

Hear from Kamikia Kisedje, young indigenous filmmaker from Brazil.

On the tour two young indigenous filmmakers will be producing content during the trip and improving their skills and sharing their stories.

Guardians of the Forest

We are a delegation of indigenous peoples and local communities from the forests of Mesoamerica, Amazonia, the Congo Basin and Southeast Asia. We travel on a bus to the main cities of central Europe to tell our stories of struggle in defense of our territories against threats such as illegal mining, fuel extraction, construction of hydroelectric dams, roads and other mega infrastructure projects, illegal logging, excessive exploitation to obtain raw material for consumer goods, corruption and state inaction.

Guardianes Del Bosque - Español

Somos una delegación de los pueblos indígenas y comunidades forestales de Mesoamérica, la Amazonía, la Cuenca del Congo y el Sudeste Asiático. Viajamos en autobus por las principales ciudades de Europa Central para compartir nuestras historias de lucha en la defensa de nuestros territorios que se encuentran amenazados por la minería ilegal, la extracción petrolera, la construcción de hidroeléctricas, carreteras y otros mega-proyectos extractivos y de infraestructura la explotación desmesurada de recursos, la corrupción y la falta de acción de los Gobiernos.