On November 13, Amazoniar, an initiative by IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) to broaden the global dialogue on the Amazon, launched two videos that reinforce the realization of the rights of indigenous and traditional peoples in the Amazon as a fundamental pillar for protecting the forest. Launched during IPAM’s participation in COP30, the productions approach the role of these peoples in shaping and conserving the Amazon from different perspectives.
“The indigenous and traditional communities of the Amazon are the true protagonists of this story. Their knowledge, practices and ways of life sustain the balance that keeps the forest alive. But in order for them to continue caring for the forest and, consequently, the planet, it is urgent to guarantee their rights and strengthen their voices. Communication is crucial in this process: it breaks down borders, combats invisibility and takes their stories, demands and proposals from the heart of the forest to the four corners of the world. Expanding this dialog is preserving the future,” says Lucas Ramos, coordinator of Amazoniar at IPAM.
Check out the Amazoniar launches:
“Why the Amazon Matters to Every Human on Earth”
With the Amazon under the spotlight and preparing to host COP30 (United Nations Climate Change Conference), the video reaffirms that protecting the rights and territories of indigenous peoples and traditional communities is one of the most effective strategies for conserving the forest and mitigating the effects of climate change. Aimed at the international community, the production recalls the process of formation of the Amazon and calls on everyone to contribute to the care of this living monument.
“Our land, our life”
Inspired by real testimonies from representatives of Amazonian communities, the animation narrates the journey of a family farmer who faces various challenges in the fight for land security in her community. A continuation of “How a community fights for the protection of its territory”, released in 2024 by Amazoniar, the new episode portrays the process of land regularization in public forests, also showing how the problems faced in the countryside are reflected in the urban context. The animation will soon be available on IPAM’s YouTube channel.
About Amazoniar
Amazoniar is an IPAM initiative to broaden the global dialog on the Amazon. Since 2021, the initiative has promoted discussions on complex topics – from the impacts of trade relations between Brazil and Europe on the forest to the engagement of young people for the forest and its peoples in the elections – to democratize information and encourage everyone’s participation in protecting the world’s largest rainforest.
With the proposal to take the Amazon beyond its borders, Amazoniar has been carrying out special projects, such as a photography competition, whose selected works were exhibited on the streets of Glasgow, Scotland, during COP26; a series of short films that made up the exhibition “Fruturos – Amazônia do Amanhã”, at the Museum of Tomorrow, in Rio de Janeiro; as well as video interviews with representatives of traditional communities during the Mercosur-European Union Free Trade Agreement negotiations; and the mini-documentary “O chamado do cacique” about the legacy of chief Raoni Metuktire.