Life-Changing Amazon: Green Drinks February Forum

The Brazilian Amazonia is a living organism that occupies 50% of the Brazilian territory. Most of this area is not protected and is currently being threatened by development projects.

"The Amazon Forest has defined my work and who I am. The ancient trees, the wisdom and cosmology of indigenous communities, the powerful water: lakes, rivers and rain it has all transformed me."

Join Green Initiatives for the first monthly forum of the year of the pig this February, to discover and learn more about the significance of, and the exploitation happening at the Amazon Forests in Brazil, with social ecologist and storyteller, Maria Eduarda Souza.

Event Itinerary

• 18:30-19:00 Registrations
• 19:00-19:15 Green Initiatives introduction
• 19:15-19:45 Talk by Maria Souza
• 19:45-20:15 Q&A/Discussions and networking
• 20:30: Event ends

About the Speakers

Maria Eduarda Souza, Social Ecologist & Storyteller
Subject: The Brazilian Amazon occupies half of Brazil’s territory and is repository of ecological services for the rest of the world. The Amazon is home for thousands of indigenous people who live in communion with nature. How do these tribes live in the 21 century and what can we learn from them? What does it mean to be good stewards of the land? Discover the challenges and stories of the Amazon.
Background: Maria has worked in the Amazon for 7 years and has lived with ingenuous people in the Xingu Ingenuous Territory. Her work has weaved several actions and projects.
Her mission is to engage people with  the natural world and foster a reflection  about our presence on Earth. She will share the life of the tribe through story photographs and videos allowing a deep reflection about sustainability and nature connection.
Maria also worked as an activist participating in political demonstrations in defense of the rights of indigenous peoples and the protection of forests in Brazil. Maria Eduarda spoke at the 13th United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues {UNPFII} in NY. And participated together with Vice President Al Gore at the Climate Reality Leadership Corps Training to learn how we can lead the global fight for climate solutions.
Through her research and documentation of the Kamayurá myths and culture participants will be invited to questions what can we learn from our indigenous ancestors?

Francesca Valsecchi, Assistant Professor, College of Design & Innovation, Tongji University
Subject: Francesca has recently returned from the Amazon and will share her observations traveling around the region for a month.
Background: Francesca is a researcher and practitioner in communication, interaction, and social design. She is Italian, but she has been in Asia for more than a decade. Her works float across the keywords of visual literacy and open culture, with a very strong trans-cultural approach. She travels extensively in space, time, seas, and fantasies. She recently returned after a month traveling around the Amazon.

*** Big thanks to FIELDS for providing snacks for the event! ***

Read also:

• Scientists warn Brazil's president-elect's policies may smother Amazon, the earth's 'lungs' (link)
• Brazil’s Proposed Environmental Laws Would Weaken Indigenous Rights, Forfeit Billions in Economic Benefits (link)
• Brazil’s Lethal Environmental Negligence (link)
• Brazil Was a Global Leader on Climate Change. Now It’s a Threat. (link)