|
|
Support the work of
The Pachamama Alliance.
|
|
Rainforest Trips
The Pachamama Alliance offers the journey of a lifetime to the Amazon Rainforest, and the high Andes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
New Moon Updates for May 2008
Rights for Nature and Recognition of
Ecuador’s Cultural Diversity to be Proposed
in New Constitution
April has been a busy month for Fundación Pachamama in its efforts to positively influence Ecuador’s Constitutional Assembly, so that fundamental environmental and social rights are incorporated into the country’s new carta magna. The most significant achievement came in mid-April when the Assembly agreed to include both Rights for Nature and “plurinacionalidad” into its proposal for the new Constitution. Undoubtedly, Pachamama played a pivotal role in getting critical support from the Assembly for these principles.
A few important actions led by Fundación Pachamama are worth noting:
- In coordination with assemblyman César Greffa and Ecuador’s national indigenous organization, CONAIE, Pachamama helped bring six Amazonian shamans to the Assembly in Montecristi. On April 7th, the shamans publicly conducted a traditional cleansing ritual in the front door of the Assembly hall. Needless to say, the ceremony attracted significant attention from assembly people and their counselors, as well as the national press. The shamans “cleansed” the Assembly’s President, Alberto Acosta, and numerous other assemblymen and women. The political objective of this act was to call attention to, and generate support for, plurinacionalidad as a fundamental principle to be enshrined in the Constitution – a principle that recognizes and values Ecuador’s cultural diversity as a cornerstone of the country’s past, present, and future well-being. That same night, the shamans conducted another equally successful event behind closed doors to cleanse the Assembly meeting space. There was wide public support for this act.
- During the same visit to Montecristi, Pachamama facilitated a meeting with the CONAIE Governing Council in which they discussed and debated, again, Rights of Nature. By the end of the meeting, the CONAIE publicly endorsed the Rights for Nature proposal. Rights for Nature was subsequently presented and discussed with the full Assembly.
It’s worth noting that although the Assembly has incorporated Rights for Nature and plurinacionalidad into its proposal for the new Constitution, nothing is guaranteed until the proposal is formally presented to, and approved by, the Ecuadorian public. Until then, Pachamama will continue to take strategic actions to forward these critical causes.
First International Conference for Amazonian Indigenous Communities for Gaining Formal and Integral Recognition of Their Ancestral Territories
On April 11th, Fundación Pachamama received 65 representatives of 15 indigenous pueblos, 6 regional indigenous organizations, and 8 NGOs from Bolivia, Perú, Colombia and Ecuador at the first international workshop to exchange innovative experiences and proposals for reclaiming the integrity of ancestral territories among Amazonian Indigenous Peoples and Nationalities whose territories are divided by national borders. The participants include Amazonian indigenous peoples and nationalities from the trans-border regions of Ecuador-Peru, Peru-Boliva-Brasil, and Ecuador-Colombia, as well as NGO and individual allies of these indigenous communities.
The workshop’s objectives were to:
1. facilitate a space in which these indigenous peoples and nationalities could share their experiences, methodologies, and concrete proposals for gaining formal and integral recognition of their ancestral territories, with a special eye to the particular challenges and possibilities that are borne out of having territories and communities that are divided by national (State) borders; and
2. establish a learning network among the participants that will continue to strengthen their political, legal, and technical proposals for gaining formal and integral recognition of their territories, far beyond the four days dedicated to the workshop.
This conference marked an important stage in Fundación Pachamama’s efforts to “regionalize” its work and impact, recognizing that the actors and policies that threaten the territories of Pachamama’s indigenous partners in the South Central Ecuadorian Amazon, are similar – if not the same – as those that threaten indigenous territories throughout the Amazon Basin. These threats include extractive industries, national policies that disregard Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and regional “development” initiatives intended to “open” the Amazon basin to a “better future”. This event forms part of a larger 3-year initiative to strengthen communication, coordination, and information sharing among Amazonian indigenous peoples and nationalities, at the regional level, in favor of their ancestral territories and collective rights.
It is important to note that Fundación Pachamama has not been working alone. Since August 2007, Pachamama has been working with an Organizing Committee to develop the event. The Committee includes representatives from two Peruvian NGOs – Racimos de Ungurahui and Shinai – and the Binational Coordinating Body of the Achuar Nationality from Ecuador and Peru (COBNAEP, according to its Spanish name).
For more information on the Event, please visit... (in Spanish):
|
How the Awakening the Dreamer Initiative
Works to Change the Dream
How DO we “change the dream of the modern world” as requested by our indigenous partners?
The Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium moves people into a state of mind, a way of being, in which that question is being asked deeply and consistently in all aspects of our lives, without prescribing one answer. The premise of the Awakening the Dreamer initiative is that if enough people authentically engage in “bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, socially just human presence on this planet” this will become the guiding principle of our time. The pathway will not come from one central point, but will emerge from our collective understanding and collective action.
Symposium Facilitators are key to discovering the pathway to a new dream. Now there are more than 650 Symposium Facilitators discovering new ways to have the Symposium make a difference. Church congregations are being stimulated to action in New Jersey, “Be the Change” circles are forming in Vancouver, “Transition Towns” are forming in the UK, Native Americans are opening Symposiums in new Mexico, and around the world Facilitators are engaging people in the inquiry-in-action of changing the dream of the modern world. And you could join them!
Being a Facilitator is about much more than “presenting” from the front of the room! We are discovering that it is about actively engaging in community.
Facilitator Trainings are scheduled in Parkville, Missouri; Melbourne, Australia; and Vancouver, Canada. For dates and registration, click here… Trainings are planned for the Bay Area and New York this fall. If you are interested in these or other trainings, click here…
The Facilitators will be sharing their successes, and their lessons learned at the third annual Global Gathering in June, with one large group in Oakland, CA and smaller “satellite” groups around the world. We will be launching a new phase of the initiative, now that much of the content of the Symposium has been incorporated into video. The video elements are being introduced into some of the Symposiums being held in May.
To learn more about the Global Gathering click here...
Different Ways of Changing
the Dream of the North
To achieve our mission, The Pachamama Alliance has committed itself to partnering with like-minded individuals and organizations whose motivation is to apply their personal abilities and resources to help “change the dream of the North.” These individuals and groups come in many forms, with many different backgrounds and skills, and each has shown the change that one individual can create when they apply themselves to reallocating their resources; focusing their time, energy and money on life-affirming goals.
This past March, Alan Smith, a copy-editor from England, sought to bring awareness of the Achuar, and The Pachamama Alliance’s work to preserve rainforests, to people in his circle and beyond, ensuring the Achuar’s continued stewardship of the Amazon rainforest. Based out of Australia, the World Internet Summit leveraged the power of the Internet to reach out to people worldwide. In just three days, Alan raised more than $51,000 from 450 people in 19 countries including Malaysia, Hong Kong, Jordan, Ireland, India and more. As one new contibutor from the summit wrote us,
“…Thank you too, for the wonderful work you are doing with the Pachamama Alliance. I found the presentation at the World Internet Summit quite moving and inspiring. In fact, this weekend I am going along to a ‘Changing the Dream’ symposium in Melbourne Australia. I look forward to finding out more about the Pachamama Alliance and its work.”
The word is spreading as individuals take it upon themselves to contribute to bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, socially just and spiritually fulfilling human presence on this planet.
Another example is Carmen Silva, a producer living in Los Angeles. She expressed uncertainty about the effectiveness of the tax rebates coming in May. “A lot of people feel just a little funny about the 2008 Stimulus Rebate. They are thinking it won’t do much good. But you actually can do a world of good with your rebate. Give it to a cause you believe in.” Carmen found this as a great opportunity to reallocate our energies towards positive goals, “and that’s the simple idea behind 08DONATE.” Carmen has enlisted her friends, raising money to promote this campaign and launch an internet site, 08donate.com. The Pachamama Alliance is featured as one of her favorite organizations to which people can contribute.
|
|
Restoring Indigenous Land Stewardship
in the U.S.
Tuesday, May 13th - San Francisco, CA: Join us for a special evening with the InterTribal Sinkyone Wilderness Council, a nonprofit organization comprised of 10 Northern California Indian Tribes. Chairperson and founder Priscilla Hunter and Executive Director Hawk Rosales will share the story of how the first InterTribal Indian wilderness area in the U.S. was established to permanently protect the Sinkyone redwood rainforest by returning a portion of it to local indigenous peoples’ traditional stewardship. Priscilla and Hawk will explain the process of community activism, tribal organizing, watershed restoration, and education involved in reestablishing the cultural ecology of Sinkyone, and the resulting benefits to the land and the people. The presentation will include a slideshow of the beautiful Sinkyone Wilderness, a discussion of the cultural history of the Sinkyone people, and time for audience questions. For venue information and to RSVP, click here...
Pangea Day
Saturday, May 10th—worldwide: Pangea Day is a global event bringing the world together through film. According to their website, “In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film… Starting at 18:00 GMT on May 10, 2008, locations in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked for a live program of powerful films, live music, and visionary speakers. The entire program will be broadcast – in seven languages – to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.” For information on viewing this live via the internet, visit www.pangeaday.org. One of Pangea Day’s major producers is Pachamama Alliance’s Board member, Michael Olmstead.
John Perkins Makes Bay Area Appearances
in early June
From June 1st – 3rd: Best-selling author, activist, and Pachamama Alliance co-founder John Perkins will be back in the Bay Area discussing his latest book, The Secret History of the American Empire, and related themes. For more information, please visit…
Urban Permaculture Design Course
By the Urban Permaculture Guild - June-August, 2008: This course puts a particular emphasis on urban issues including access to land, economic and legal constraints, social and environmental justice, eco-village and eco-city planning and the new "green" market wave. This is an engaging course taught in a progressive environment by dynamic and talented instructors. It just may change the way you see your role in the care of the Earth. For more information, please visit…
|
|
Support Local Agriculture
Did you know that the average American-grown tomato may travel as much as 1500 miles from vine to salad bowl in a journey that leaves a trail of serious environmental and societal consequences? Imagine the impact of a tomato’s travel from another country! The food shipping industry relies heavily on cheap energy sources, which contribute to environmental degradation. Farmers see only a fraction of every dollar spent on their produce while the rest is paid to various middlemen in the food production process. Unable to compete with large-scale farms, small farmers are forced to close up shop. Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) programs seek to alleviate these problems by localizing food production and consumption. To find CSAs in your area and other locally grown products, click here…
|
|
Volunteer Opportunities
There are many opportunities to volunteer your
skills, have fun and make a difference. We welcome your participation.
Please visit our website to find out more or contact Eve Libertone, Volunteer Coordinator, at 415-561-4522 ext. 107 or
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
.
|
Goldman Winners Include
Pair Who Battled Oil Firms
By Jim Carlton, The Wall Street Journal: This year's winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize—the green world's version of the Oscars—include activists who took on oil companies on two continents and a Mozambique rock star whose band sings to encourage improved sanitation.
The Goldman awards, now in their 19th year, were presented to seven activists at a ceremony in San Francisco on Monday.
The prizes are sponsored by a foundation headed by San Francisco philanthropist Richard Goldman, who started the awards with his late wife, Rhoda, to honor grass-roots environmental activists globally. This year, each award has been increased to $150,000 from $125,000 cash value. As has often been the case, most honorees say they are putting some of the money into their respective campaigns.
The winners for Asia and Latin America each took on oil development in sensitive areas. In Ecuador, Pablo Fajardo Mendoza, 35 years old, and Luis Yanza, 46, won Goldmans for leading legal battles against oil giant Chevron Corp. over massive pollution problems allegedly caused by Texaco Inc., which the San Ramon, California, company acquired in 2001.
The pair began working in the early 1990s to organize residents of Amazon-jungle areas affected by oil development to pursue lawsuits against Texaco and then Chevron. Their cases sought billions of dollars in compensation for a spike in cancer cases and general environmental problems.
Chevron officials have denied any liability. Chevron has instead blamed a state-run oil company that headed a consortium that included Texaco; Chevron says Texaco ceased operations in Ecuador in 1990. Ecuadorian officials have pointed the finger at Chevron. Court cases filed in the U.S. over the years have been dismissed. One is pending in Ecuador.
Also check out this animation piece commissioned by Amazon Watch on Chevron's handling of the Ecuador case
|
|
|
Home | About | News | Learning | Members | Newsletter | Jobs | Join Us | Search |
The Pachamama Alliance
PO Box 29191, Presidio Bldg. #1009, Ground Floor
San Francisco, CA 94129-9191
Email:
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
Phone: 415-561-4522
Fax: 415-561-4521
If you have any comments or suggestions about the website, or find any broken links,
please email:
This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it
, with details, and together we will keep
the website updated, and relevant. Our Privacy Policy can be found here.
|
|
|
