Organizers: Association for the Ashaninka of the Amazon River, Amazonia (APIWTXA), Ashaninka Binational Congress; Society for Threatened Peoples; Espace Kracberg; University of Richmond; University of Bremen; University College London
The over 1,500 kilometers of international boundary shared by Brazil and Peru contains some of the most remote areas and richest biological and cultural diversity in the Amazon rainforest. However, the indigenous inhabitants are forced to adapt to the impacts of anthropogenic climate change even as their borderland resources are coveted by economic development forces. The Ashaninka, Asheninka, Puyanawa, Huni Kuin and other indigenous Amazonian peoples have organized themselves across cultures and borders to mitigate climate change through capacity building, land titling, agroforestry, and alternative economic value chains. A key component to ensuring sustainability in the borderlands is the strengthening of traditional knowledge and appropriate adaptation of traditional livelihoods to best protect their territory, forests, and waters from the incursion of extractive development and invasive transportation infrastructure. During this event, indigenous Amazonian leaders from four cultures across Brazil and Peru will share the impacts of climate change as well as their struggle and solutions to reach sustainability in the remote borderland rainforests. Indigenous speakers will use multimedia presentations, short films, posters, song, and interactive discussion to engage the audience in an inclusive dialogue about the future of the Amazon borderlands, indigenous peoples, the rainforest and the planet.
Panelists:
- Moisés Piyãko, President of Apiwtxa(Association for the Ashaninka of the Amonia River)
- Berlin Diques Rios, Representative of the Ashaninka Binational Congress
- Wewito Piyãko, Ashaninka Award Winning Documentary Film maker
- Luiz Puwe Puyanawa, Shaman of the Puyanawa
- Dora Piyãko, President of Ashaninka Cooperative
- Yube Huni Kuin, Special Secretary of Indigenous Affairs, Acre, Brazil
- Eliane Fernandes, Anthropologist University of Bremen-Society of Threatened Peoples; David Salisbury, Geographer University of Richmond-Universidad Nacional de Ucayali
- Carolina Comandulli, Anthropologist University College London
This event follows the Ashaninka/Asheninka's, at over 100,000 people the Amazon's most numerous indigenous people, first binational conference realized in September of 2015. The 137 representatives at the congress issued a declaration to the world which will be shared at the event along with films, presentations, maps, and posters about their challenges and solutions in the face of climate change and extractive development.
Location: Indigenous Peoples Pavilion (Auditorium)
Contact: Eliane Fernandes, elianefer@gmail.com
Languages: English/French/Portuguese/Spanish