EarthAction

Anti-dam groups troop to NCIP over FPIC inconsistencies, conduct dam exposure tour

Filing of petition and complaints at the regional office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples-Cordillera (NCIP-CAR)

Dam-threatened Kalinga tribes along with advocates trooped to the regional office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples- Cordillera (NCIP-CAR) to petition the dams proposed along the Saltan river in Kalinga.
 

Indigenous peoples from the municipalities of Pinukpuk, Balbalan and Tabuk in Kalinga mark this year's International Day of Action Against Dams and for Rivers (IDAAD) with a petition filed against JBD Water Power Incorporated's (JWPI) hydroelectric power projects at the NCIP regional office in Baguio City today, March 14, 2023. Said petition seeks the nullification of the result of the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) among the Limos tribe last February 9, 2023, whatever the results may be, on basis of inconsistencies in the process.

 

 

According to Elma Tuazon, representative from the Limos tribe and lead convenor of the Sumkad ti Umili para ti Matagoan, Karbengan, Aglawlaw, Daga ken Dayaw (SUMKADD), the petition submitted is nullifying "the decision-making process/meeting for the Limos Ancestral Domain activity on February 9, 2023 related to the Saltan Hydroelectric Power Project", proposed by the JWPI along the Saltan River in Kalinga. "We have sinced petitioned against these dam projects along the Saltan River since 2022, we are reiterating our opposition to these proposed dam projects."
 

Resolutions against the JWPI dams were adopted by several barangays in Balbalan and the municipality of Pinukpuk as early as February of 2022.
 

A dialogue with NCIP CAR Regional Director Atty. Atanacio Addog was also conducted, where the demands for NCIP's accountability and strict monitoring of the FPIC process were floated. Continuing talks between the petitioners and NCIP will soon determine the outcomes, but petitioners remain wary of NCIP's expected actions considering that Addog is one of the accused in the administrative charges including 158 counts of estafa, falsification, and use of falsified documents filed by the dam-threatened Isnag indigenous peoples of Kabugao on December 2022 and January 2023.

 

 

Dialogue with NCIP Regional Director Atanacio Addog at the NCIP Regional Office in Baguio City.

 

Dams Learning Exchange
 

Prior to the petition filing, the petitioners from Kalinga were accompanied by delegates coming from dam-threatened communities in Kabugao, Apayao for a two-days Dam Learning Exchange. The Indigenous peoples delegation conducted an educational tour at the Ambuklao Dam site in Bokod, Benguet.

 

 

Ocular visit of delegates to the Ambuklao Dam. Ptr. Virgil Aniceto of the Regional Ecumenical Council of the Cordillera (RECCORD), who spent a long time of service in Bokod, explained the parts of the dam and the resulting damages at the time of its construction and beyond.

 

Bokod town Mayor, Honorable Thomas Wales, in his message to the delegates during their courtesy call said, "Think of the next generation, not only the now. Consider them when you make your decision regarding those projects. Our decision should not limit the future generations' options for development as they see fit for them. This is for the sake of us all."
 

In the community exchange, Ambuklao Barangay Captain Monroe Galasgas related the experience of their community during the building of the then government-owned 75MW Ambuklao Dam through the National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR). "We had to leave our community. Some of our families were relocated to Nueva Vizcaya and Palawan however, our families eventually returned to Ambuklao because the relocation site was undeveloped," he said.
 

The dam was decommissioned in 1999 due to silt accumulation. It resumed operation in 2011 after it was rehabilitated by SN Aboitiz. It was since then upgraded to 105MW capacity. SN Aboitiz now owns and manages the facility, but last January this year, it was reported that Bokod indigenous peoples rejected the company’s bid to continue the said dam’s operation through a resolution of non-consent submitted to the provincial office of NCIP Benguet.
 

According to the community, a large portion of the lands covered by the dam compound are part of their ancestral domain. "We are still reclaiming some of our lands until now," Galasgas added.
 

"A lot of our questions have been answered regarding the long-term impacts of dam on the lives and livelihood of people," said Eusebia Luban, an Isnag woman from Kabugao, Apayao who attended the dam expo and tour.
 

"Balunen me dagitoy nga adal tapno ibingay mi met kadagiti kakailian mi," she added.
 

#OurRiversOursToDefend

#LetOurRiversFlowFreely

#DefendCordilleraPH

UN General Assembly calls for an end to the war in Ukraine

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution late last night (Feb 23), calling for an end to the war and demanding Russia’s withdrawal from Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter.

Coming just hours before the war entered its second year, the resolution was adopted under the Uniting for Peace mandate, which provides the possibility for the UN General Assembly to take action to address acts of aggression or other serious threats to international peace when the Security Council is blocked by the veto power of one of the Permanent Five Members.

The UNGA resolution, entitled Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine contains 11 key points including;

• Deploring the dire human rights and humanitarian consequences of the war;
• Expressing deep concern about the adverse impact of the war on global food security, energy, nuclear security and safety and the environment;
• Calling for full adherence by the parties to the armed conflict to their obligations under international humanitarian law;
• Emphasizing the need to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine through independent investigations and prosecutions at the national or international level, and ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes;
• Underscoring the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
• Reaffirming that no territorial acquisition resulting from the threat or use of force shall be recognized as legal;
• Demanding that the Russian Federation withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized border;
• Calling for a cessation of hostilities.

Time for Russia to End the Continuing War Against Ukraine
InDepthNews, February 23

"Russia should end its invasion of Ukraine, withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory and enter into negotiations with Ukraine to resolve historical disputes and establish a lasting and just peace that guarantees the security of both nations," says the World Future Council in an article Time for Russia to End Continuing War Against Ukraine published in InDepthNews yesterday.

“Regardless of any grievances and unresolved conflicts that Russia may have with Ukraine and the United States/NATO, the use of force to resolve such conflicts is prohibited under Article 2 of the UN Charter,” says Alyn Ware, Director of the World Future Council Peace and Disarmament program.

"War has no place in the 21st century when humanity already needs to address so many pressing issues such as climate change and implementing the Sustainable Development Goals” says Angelina Davydova, in the InDepthNews article. Ms Davydova is a Member of the Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Work Group and Council Member of World Future Council.

“We regret that better use is not made of diplomacy, mediation and Common Security mechanisms earlier in conflicts to address and resolve historical grievances." says international lawyer Neshan Gunasekera, Co-Chair of the World Future Council Peace and Disarmament Commission and a Director of the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms. “We call on the United Nations and the international community to make better use of these common security mechanisms to address unresolved conflicts and prevent war." 

Such Common Security mechanisms include the UN Security Council, UN General Assembly, International Court of Justice, UN mediation services, UN Human Rights Council, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and others.

Calling for urgent action to protect children from escalating heatwaves ahead of COP27

Our new report, The Coldest Year Of The Rest Of Their Lives: Protecting Children From The Escalating Impacts Of Heatwaves, warns that urgent action is needed to increase funding for adaptation to protect children and vulnerable communities from worsening heatwaves and other climate shocks. The report can be found here.

Released ahead of COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, the report finds that 559 million children are currently exposed to high heatwave frequency (defined as an average of 4.5 or more heatwaves per year). Further, 624 million children are exposed to one of three other high heat measures - high heatwave duration, high heatwave severity, or extremely high temperatures.

“The mercury is rising and so are the impacts on children,” said ED Cathy Russell.

Following up on 2021’s, Introducing the Children’s Climate Risk Index, our new study focuses on one specific hazard – heat. It was developed in collaboration with partners including the Data Collaborative for Children and aims to help us better understand children’s exposure to the impacts of climate change to help prioritize action for those most at risk and ultimately ensure today's children inherit a livable planet.

 

World Day of Prayer and Action for Children

The World Day of Prayer and Action for Children is celebrated every year on November 20, the same day as the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and World Children’s Day.

Arigatou International launched the World Day of Prayer and Action for Children in 2008 to make this an opportunity for people of different religions and cultures to come together to pray and meditate, but also to take action for children’s rights and well-being.

This year also, organizations working for children’s rights and well-being have joined Arigatou International and UNICEF to celebrate the World Day of Prayer and Action for Children and the Wear My Shoes Campaign.
 
The Wear My Shoes Campaign aims to mobilize children and adults - including religious leaders, policymakers, parents/caregivers, and educators - to protect Children’s dignity.

Visit our landing page for more information. 

Please click HERE to register for the event.

From Unicef

Emergency Notice regarding Vulcan Materials from Aquatic Ecologist Ed Boles

Dear Colleagues,

As a concerned citizen of Belize, I am providing information about Vulcan Materials Company (attached), a multi-billion dollar aggregate mining company in the United States, and its purchase of White Ridge Farm in the Stann Creek District of Belize.  Their intent is to blast, pulverize, and ship Sugar Hills, a limestone formation, to the southeastern US for use as road fill. Blasting shall disrupt local hydrologic systems in the Southern Lagoon area, threatening the largest concentration of Caribbean manatees, as well as Central American River Turtles, American Crocodiles, and other fauna. The crushed material shall be carried by a conveyer bridge that passes over an important Hawks Bill Sea Turtle nesting beach to waiting cargo ships in the dredged out center of the Inner Channel behind the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Spokes persons for the current Belize Government have stated that no strip mining shall occur in this area.

However, Vulcan Materials is persistent and maybe even desperate to open their first mine in Belize.  The Mexican Government temporarily shut down the Vulcan Calica Mine south of Playa del Carmen in February and again on May 5, 2022, this time closing it due to the extensive damage the mining operation was causing to the local environment and the water table. This mine was producing 12 million tons of crushed limestone for the US market. In response these shutdowns, Vulcan has two lawsuit against the Mexican Government for $1.1 and $1.5 billion USD and the International Center for Investment Disputes shall be issuing a decision. Ten US republican senators are urging US President Biden to protect Vulcan and put strong pressure on Mexico. Vulcan Materials has a long history of litigation within many areas of the United States where they operate mines, so this is nothing new to their legal team and their US political support.

This web address, https://www.whiteridgeproject.com/, takes you to the site where Vulcan Materials describes benefits of having this company within Belize. The attached document tells a very different story, reviewing the scientific literature describing ecological and social impacts of limestone mining and taking a close look at the Vulcan site near Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The Calica Mine in Mexico is an indicator of what can happen in Belize if this corporation gets set up in our small country. If the Government of Belize had to take action against Vulcan for violations of their agreement and failure to protect the environment, as is occurring in many places where Vulcan is operating, we too could face a billion dollar plus lawsuit backed by a powerful and well-funded group of corporate lawyers. If this mega corporation gets a foothold in our small country, our world renowned ecological resources and cultural/social identity may change forever. 

The Vulcan team arrives this month to begin groundwork to get the mine eventually opened. The word needs to get out. The people need to know who we are up against and what the real stakes are, the real cost we and our great grandchildren shall have to bare. If this is of concern to you, please help us spread the word. Forward this document to anyone who may be interested in helping us protect our country from this corporate resource grab. We need all the assistance and support we can muster against this threat that if realized shall impact our ecosystems, water resources, ecotourism, economy, and cultural integrity. We need to collectively speak out.

Please share this with your Belize networks. Thank you for your attention and your concern.

Ed Boles

Aquatic Ecologist

Background on Vulcan Materials Company and Expected Impacts should

White Ridge Farm Karst Hills Become an Aggregate Mine

Executive Summary

Letter from Vulcan Rep Janet Kavinoky in Response to Ed Boles Analysis

Sign 2 Petitions

• GOB Says No to Vulcan
• Letter published in Belize AgReport from Board of Directos of Pro-Organic Belize.
• Tennessee Senators Urging US President Biden to Intervene on Behalf of Vulcan in Mexico

Health Risks Associated with Residents Living Near Quarrying Operations

Check https://www.facebook.com/groups/belizeumbrella
for more TV coverage posts

• No Vulcan for Gales Point
• Sambai Musicians of Gales Point Sing Against Mining Project Proposal
• Erosion -- award winning documentary on what happened in Playa del Carmen
• Vulcan Responds to NO on 7 Belize
• Stop Vulcan Manatee Strip-mining at Gales Point Manatee

Sir David Attenborough as the recipient of the Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced today that Sir David Attenborough will receive the Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to research, documentation, and advocacy for the protection of nature and its restoration.

Sir David Attenborough’s career as a broadcaster, natural historian, author, and environmental advocate spans over seven decades. He is most famous for his work with the BBC’s Natural History Unit, including landmark documentaries such as Life on Earth, the Living Planet, Our Planet and Our Blue Planet. In addition, his renowned advocacy work to preserve and restore biodiversity, transition to renewable energy, mitigate climate change and promote plant-rich diets contribute to the realization of many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The award is the UN’s highest environmental honour, and celebrates those who have dedicated their lives to tackling crises like climate change, species loss and pollution. To date, the Champions of the Earth has recognized 106 laureates, ranging from world leaders to technology inventors. They include 26 world leaders, 64 individuals and 16 groups or organizations.

The Press Release may be viewed here: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/david-attenborough-receives-uns-most-distinguished-environment-award

Feature Story may be viewed here: https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/un-recognizes-broadcaster-attenborough-lifetime-achievement-award

David Attenborough exclusive interview with UNEP ED Inger Andersen: https://youtu.be/2YoLsUt4F58

Profile Video: https://youtu.be/Vlvn23rSt0M

Should you have any questions or further clarification please contact UNEP´s Director of Communication, Mr. Daniel Cooney, [email protected]

Radhika Ochalik

Secretary of Governing Bodies

Director, Governance Affairs Office

UN Environment Programme

UN to Publish Comprehensive Global Land Outlook 2

Media Advisory
 

Chronic Land Degradation: UN to Publish Comprehensive Global Land Outlook 2 Report Wednesday, 27 April 2022

 

Contacts: 
Terry Collins, +1-416-878-8712 (m), [email protected]
Wagaki Wischnewski, +49-228-815-2820;
+49-173-268-7593; 
[email protected]

 

A new report from the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), to be released Wednesday, 27 April 2022, offers both stark warnings and hundreds of practical ways to effect local, national and regional land and ecosystem restoration. 
 
UNCCD’s evidence-based flagship Global Land Outlook 2 (GLO2) report, five years in development with 21 partner organizations, and with over 1,000 references, is the most comprehensive consolidation of information on the topic ever assembled. 
 
It offers an overview of unprecedented breadth that includes new analyses of various future land scenarios and the potential contributions of land restoration investments to climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, poverty reduction, human health and other key sustainable development goals.
 
Report embargo: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
09:00 US EDT / 13:00 GMT / 14:00 UK Summer Time / 15:00 CEST
(check local time here) 
 
GLO2 is being released shortly before the UNCCD’s 15th session of the Conference of Parties opens in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (COP15, 9-20 May, www.unccd.int/cop15). 

The first GLO edition in 2017 underscored the wide-ranging drivers, risks, and impacts of persistent land degradation, which have intensified considerably in the last five years – increasingly evident in the deterioration of human health and stable livelihoods.
 
The new report sets out the rationale, enabling conditions, and diverse pathways by which countries and communities can design and implement a customized land restoration agenda. 

Advance access to the GLO2 report and a summary for decision makers, will be available next week. 
 
Advance embargoed interviews with report authors and officials are also available.
 
A high-level virtual launch will be followed by a press conference Wednesday,27 April 2022

The press conference will begin 27 April 2022 at 09:00 US EDT / 13:00 GMT / 14:00 UK Summer Time / 15:00 CEST (check local time here)  

To register for the press conference, and to receive the advance embargoed media materials, please email the following to [email protected] 

• Media organization 
• First Name
• Last Name
• Position
• Email
• Telephone
• City
• Country

 
A formal launch of GLO2 will take place Tuesday, 10 May 2022, during the high-level segment of the UNCCD’s 15th Conference of Parties (COP15, 9-20 May), Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.  
 
COP15 programme, registration and other media information: https://www.unccd.int/cop15

 

About the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
 

The UNCCD, established in 1994, is the only legally binding framework set up to address desertification and the effects of drought. There are 197 Parties to the Convention, including 196 country Parties and the European Union. The Convention aims to mitigate the impact of land degradation by uniting governments, scientists, policymakers, the private sector and communities around a shared vision to restore and manage the world’s land, and to ensure the sustainability of the planet and the prosperity of future generations.

2021 EarthAction Project & Campaign Report

2021 EarthAction Project & Campaign Report

The following projects and campaigns were made possible with your support. Thank You.

2020 Action: Every month, 2020 Action educated and mobilized thousands of US citizens and encouraged them to communicate with US policymakers on critically important peace and environmental issues. Each month, 2020 produced a timely Action Alert with meaningful actions for citizens to take to protect our environment and security—usually to contact a policymaker facing a critical decision. For details, read 2020’s 2020 Action Report at 2020Action.org. 2020 Action just completed its 35^th year!

Strategies to Boost Fair Climate Action in the 2020-2030 Decades: EarthAction sponsored a Side Event at COP 26 UN Climate Conference held in Glasgow, Scotland, November 2021. We collaborated with The Group of Governance on Climate Change - Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. They presented an equity-based analysis of the current NDCs; Climate Scorecard reported on efforts to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030, and the Asociación Proteger described real cases of community driven improvement of housing and schools, based on local resources.

The American Friends of the Palestinian House of Friendship: EarthAction helped to raise over $100,000 to support the Palestinian House of Friendship (PHF) in Nablus, Palestine and their programs including: Summer Camps; a Skate Park; after school programs and e-learning for kids who were unable to go to school due to COVID; Girl Scouts (160 members) who served elders, needy families, and orphans in the community; an older women’s chorus and the formation of a younger women’s chorus called Zunnar; the Open Gate Music Studio that produced recordings throughout the year; the creation of a Little Free Library in Nablus; a cultural folklore festival in Asira with music, dance, and hand-crafts displayed which more than 2,000 people attended; and a new program called, “The Green Hands Initiative,” where children learn to love the land and to plant vegetables and fruits.

Support for Indigenous Peoples: In 2021, in collaboration with the Save Our Spirits (S.O.S.) Fund, EarthAction provided over $60,000 in much-needed support for indigenous and ancestral communities around the world. These projects included the following:

The Elders Project (TEP) in Colombia: We continued to work with and to provide assistance to the traditional authorities (Mamos) of the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. Rick Harlow, the Project Director, traveled to Colombia in August to distribute a new book of Kogui wisdom, published with TEP funding, to the pueblos of the SNSM. Rick returns to Colombia in December to coordinate the next Black Line Journey for the Kogui, Arhuaco, Wiwa and Kankuamos pueblos. These activities are of great help to the Elders in their efforts to strengthen their spiritual traditional practices.

TEP has also been working with the Hopi Elders.  In October Rick traveled to Arizona to assist the Hopi in realizing a 1,300 mile pilgrimage to 11 sacred sites that define their ancestral territorial boundaries. TEP will continue working with the Hopi in 2022 as they realize another pilgrimage next summer.

The Lalakea Foundation: We provided a grant to their Nā Wāhine ʻĀpapalani, Hawaiian women cultural practitioners who have been conducting ritual and ceremony on Maunakea for many years. They are dedicated to honoring the sacred Piko O Wākea through prayer, chant and ceremony that acknowledge Nā Kānaka o ka Mauna, Deities of the Mountain, and form connectivity with the sacred through space and time. Due to COVID, this project was extended into 2021.

Hopi Community: We provided support to several Hopi communities for their COVID-19 Emergency Response Hopi Contact Tracing Projects. They trained people within the community to carry out contact tracing in a number of Hopi villages that were being hard-hit by the pandemic.

Q’eros Ceremonial Terrace Project in Ecuador: Through the Wiraqocha Foundation, Fredy Flores Machaca & Hannah Rae, received a grant on February 1, 2021 to design and build a terrace as the first phase of creating a museum and center for the preservation of the Q’eros culture. The terrace will be a sacred place for the Q’eros to gather for communal ceremonies.

Restoring Ancestral Connection to the Environment— a Community-Led Project of the Moken People of Koh Surin. The Global Purpose Group, founded and directed by Bodhi Garrett, was the sponsor of this project. In February 2021 they received an S.O.S grant to provide cultural and ecological preservation, education for children, meaningful income for adults, and community empowerment for the Moken community at Koh Surin National Park. The islands are located in the Andaman Sea of Thailand.

Kaibeto Navajo COVID Relief: On the Dine' Nation, Sharon Claw-Watson organized a team of 12 volunteers (Kaibeto Covid Relief Team) that served the communities of Kaibeto, Inscription House, Shonto, Redlake (Tonalea), Navajo Mountain and Rocky Ridge on the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah. Our S.O.S. grant helped these communities to receive needed supplies including fresh food, healing herbs, water, medicines, vitamins, and boxes of food to keep the people in these communities, especially the elderly, healthy and safe from exposures to infection. Many of the volunteers used their own vehicles, traveling long rough unpaved roads to deliver supplies. Our grant provided food and needed supplies to 50 to 100 families for one to two months and paid for gas for the delivery vehicles.

Panina Makahiki/Closing Makahiki Ceremony 2021 in Hawaii: the project sponsor, Kohe Mālamalama O Kanaloa-Protect Kahoʻolawe Fund (PKF), received a grant for a closing ceremony in a series of ceremonies called, Makahiki Kaho‘olawe, that brought together their kūpuna (elders), kamaliʻi (children), kumu (experts/teachers) and ʻohana (families) from each island of Hawaiʻi to aide in their re-greening on the island and to secure blessings for Kahoʻolawe for the new year.

The Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Philippines received a grant to assist them with their response to the COVID-19 pandemic including the distribution of food relief consisting of rice, sugar, salt and cooking oil to a total of 500 families of indigenous people among the Ayangan tribe in the province of Ifugao. They also shared information on COVID-19 and held discussions on food security during the relief distribution in communities and conducted psycho-social sessions among vulnerable groups such as farmers, elders, youth, and informal workers.

Grass-Roots Organization for Women (GROW) Ghana: We provided support for Community-based Initiatives to address the impact of the Corona-19 virus in rural indigenous and local communities. They strengthened their outreach to prevent the spread of infection and addressed emerging public health issues that impacted vulnerable populations in rural areas who lacked access to essential services. This project went from June 2020 through May 2021.

NEW PROJECT Indigenous Solidarity Fund (ISF) In May 2021, EarthAction became the sponsor of ISF whose mission is to support elders, leaders, and wisdom-keepers of indigenous groups in Colombia and the Americas in their efforts to preserve and share their cultures and traditional practices. Click here to view a video made in 2021 by ISF Project Director Jesse Stammel of an urgent message from the revered Grandfather, Wisdom Keeper, Land Protector and Goldman Environmental Prize winner Werjayo Berito Kuwaru'wa of the U'Wa people in Colombia

Other Campaigns

Throughout 2021, EarthAction engaged in many other global campaigns for peace, justice and the environment through our website and social media. These included: the global launch of the Green Grids Initiative at the Climate Summit in Glasgow; COVAX, the global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines; the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; The launch of the Youth Elders Fusion Initiative; For details visit: www.earthaction.org.

THANK YOU

EarthAction thanks all our Partner Organizations, members, donors and Board members for their ongoing participation and support. Special thanks to the Thomas D. Hormel Trust, the Stewart R. Mott Foundation, the Whatcom Community Foundation and the Save Our Spirits Fund.

Click here if you would like to make a donation to support our ongoing work.

Global Forum for Children and Youth: 7-9 December 2021

Dear colleagues and partners,

On December 7-9, UNICEF and partners will convene the Global Forum for Children and Youth (CY21), which includes leaders, experts, change-makers, and influencers together with children and youth to discuss and accelerate proven and new solutions, inspire commitments to create change and mobilize knowledge and resources to advance child rights to meet the SDGs by 2030. We encourage all our partners to follow the forum online. 
 
Ahead of the event, we would like to request you to please share the CY21 teaser video on your platforms. The video assets (with editable files) and suggested post copy are available to download here. 

The daily agenda during the event are found on the links below.

7 December
8 December
9 December
 
The Global Forum for Children and Youth convenes children and young people themselves, along with leaders across the United Nations, government, business, philanthropy, and civil society, as well as authors, artists, and influencers. You can find the list of speakers here.
 
You may also find other available resources to support you on the links below.

• Please find here Global Forum for Children and Youth top-level folder for multimedia and marketing and social media assets.
• Please find here a communications package, including key messages.

Here is the link to stream the forum online.

See the teaser video here.

EarthAction Announces New Collaboration with the Indigenous Solidarity Fund

In 2021, EarthAction became the sponsor of the Indigenous Solidarity Fund (ISF) whose mission is to support elders, leaders, and wisdom-keepers of indigenous groups in Colombia and the Americas in their efforts to preserve and share their cultures and traditional practices. Click here to view a video made in 2021 by ISF Project Director Jesse Stammel of an urgent message from the revered Grandfather, Wisdom Keeper, Land Protector and Goldman Environmental Prize winner Werjayo Berito Kuwaru'wa of the U'Wa people in Colombia

The U'wa people are known as ''the thinking people'' in Colombia.  Berito Kuwaru'wa was chosen as Head of their High Council and international representative. He has been invited to speak in more than two dozen countries on the need to defend the natural laws of the earth and share his and the U'wa people's wisdom and mythology.  

There's still time for us to recognize the critical importance of the wisdom of indigenous elders at this tumultuous moment of human history. It is our responsibility to care for this earth and to ensure that future generations can enjoy its beauty and abundance. The wisdom of the traditional elders of the Americas can guide us towards rebalancing and healing the relationship between humans and the rest of creation.

Let's choose to listen. 

Update: 

After nearly a year of being denied treatment, Berito Kuwaru'wa was admitted to the Somer clinic in Rio Negro, Antioquia, Colombia and operated on. He is currently recovering in the clinic, where he will remain until he is fully recovered and able to return to his home in U'Wa territory.

Upon his return, the ISF will continue to provide funds for additional medical care and medications, monitor his health, and support his ongoing efforts to recover and grow the U'Wa people's ancestral seeds and crops. 

All of your generous donations and efforts to help our cause are deeply appreciated. Click here to make an online donation.

The Surin Islands Beach Restoration Project Report

In 2020, EarthAction, in collaboration with the Save Our Spirits Fund, gave a grant to the Global Purpose Group to support their work with the Surin Islanders in a project to clean up their ancestral beaches and restore aspects of their culture, especially communication between youth and elders using song and stories. What follows is a report on their project. Donations to support the continuation and expansion of this project can be made to EarthAction on the donate page of our website. Please indicate your donation is for the Moken Beach Project. 

1. Describe the overall project, start and end dates, and how it went compared to your plans and objectives. Be as brief as possible while telling the story.

The project started the 4th of February and ended 5^th of May. The Beach Restoration team started work on the 9^th of February and collected up to 2800 kg of recyclable trash around the Surin islands. The group showed strong teamwork and one member Lek stood out in his ability to manage the team and was promoted team leader. The team went out with the longtailboat every other day to clear the remote bays from washed up marine debris. The day after the collected the trash was rinsed, sorted and packed to eventually be transferred to the mainland in order to be sold to Ranong Recycle for Environment Social Enterprise. Ten bays have been cleared of ocean plastics, including: Ao Sai Daeng, Ao Jaak, Sai Aen, Sai Aen Lek, Ao Bon Yai, Ao Bon Lek, Ao Saparot Lek, Ao Saparot Yai, Ao Tao Lek and Ao Tao Yai. The Beach Restoration went according to plans and objectives even exceeding them by starting a cooperation with the National Park in which they agreed to transfer all non-recyclables to the the nearest landfill on the mainland. The meeting with the National Park revealed approval and appreciation for the Moken initiative which is an important step for this indigenous community in the standing with the local Thai authorities. The initial objective to open labour possibilities in the village by having a rotation system among the different boat owners to share the job of going out to the remote bays did not work as most boat owners have long-term plans for the season. It made more sense to have one boat for the duration of the project. For the trash transfer to the mainland four different boats were used. For next season we plan to increase the amount of non-recyclable waste as we finally have secured free transfer to the mainland in the cooperation with the park authorities.

The Ancestral Knowledge Teaching was successful as for the first time in Moken history, Moken elders have been paid to be teachers to the Moken children. In total, seven Moken including Tat, Sabai, Jipen, Nin, Sutat, Ngui and Hook have shared their traditional knowledge of oral storytelling through songs, medicinal herbs and plants, sailing, rowing and diving with the children. For many children this was the first time they sailed on the traditional Moken houseboat. Teaching in the Moken school in the village is irregular which is based partly on strange system that is a kind of experience the government imposed on the Surin islands and partly due to absence of the teachers. This leads to irregular attendance of the students. Our objective was to take all the school children out on trip by the end of the project and this objective was met. In fact all regularly attending school children counting up to 27 children joined at least two times for the activities. From the irregularly attending students and including the pre-schoolers 10 kids joined for one trip. Initially we had planned to have more trips on a regular schedule. However, this being the first time for this initiative, the establishment of the structure took more effort. For the next season the groundwork has been laid to introduce a weekly schedule for the ancestral knowledge teaching. The Moken teachers were all enthusiastic about this opportunity and have shown interest to continue the coming season. The feedback from the students were overly positive and they look forward to more days of cultural education.

2. What did you learn from doing this work? Were there any ’surprises’ or discoveries?

Working with the Moken is an ongoing learning experience. This once free-roaming indigenous community has been forced to life door-to-door in an overpopulated village. Although it looks like a village, it actually lacks its infrastructures. Problems arise naturally and solutions to some village problems from an outsider perspective seem simple. However, given the nomadic history of this community simple village solutions fail easily. It is an ongoing learning experience to get a deeper understanding of the Moken and their socio-cultural history. This year I learned that the Moken culture exists without time structures and time plans. The spontaneously organized cultural teaching sessions always worked out, but when we tried to introduce a system based on recurring weekly schedules, it just didn't work. The same problem arose for village meetings. Navigating the insights is important to continue offering community based support. If freedom, spontaneity and a total detachment from structure is what defines the Moken, yet at the same is also what is threatening their existence, then how much structure can we bring in order to serve their spirit to be Moken and take on the challenges that their existence as a cultural minority in Thailand brings with it?

3. Do you have plans to build on this experience in the future. If so, describe them briefly.

We support the Moken to be in charge of their life, while offering assistance while they navigate through the troubled waters of a having been a free-roaming nomadic culture to being a sedentary minority in Thailand. Their journey leads through limited access of resources, being a tourist attraction in a National Park, and being discriminated against. In order to be able to stand up for their culture, their spiritual beliefs, their history and their traditions, they need to be in state to be able to do that. This project is the first self-initiated project by the Moken which is environmentally and culturally meaningful and helps the Moken to direct their own lives. As an outsider to the culture we continue to learn every year on how to assist the Moken better. At the moment the best support is to build on their initiative and continue adding small aspects to it that help strengthens their community. We will continue with the beach restoration project as of October next season and also continue the element of cultural education.

 

4. Did this project affect the spiritual aspects of individuals and the community? If so, please describe briefly.

The indigenous community of the Moken is closely connected to their surrounding nature. Dispossession of traditional land is a problem that many indigenous communities face around the world. In the extreme cases the spiritual connection to the land will be lost forever. The Moken still live around the ocean and the jungle, and although their access to its resources has been restricted, their connection is still intact. The Moken standing up for their environment because they witness the plastic pollution that happens on a global level is an important aspect to maintain the spiritual connection to their sacred lands. Two of the beaches that have been cleared from floating ocean plastics are burial grounds, while three other beaches have been their home in which ceremonies have been held.