Guardians of the forest: Amazonian youth shaping the future

Don't forget about us.

Youth Congress , organized by the Sustainable Amazon Foundation began in the community of Tumbira, in Amazonas, at the end of March. Sixty young people from different communities in the municipalities of Iranduba, Carauari, Itapiranga, Novo Aripuanã, Uarini, and the indigenous community of Três Unidos came together to, among other activities, draft the Youth Manifesto for the Future of the Forest.

For those who live in big cities, the concept of a forest is sometimes distant and limited to a walk, a trail, or a crossing. For those who live in the Amazon rainforest, the concept is different. The forest provides life, abundance, and sustenance . The rivers provide food, the forest provides resources. There is a link, a connection between the forest and its inhabitants. It sustains itself through them, and they sustain themselves through it. In this context, it sounds difficult to understand how scarcity and inequality can exist in a place of such richness and diversity.

The Amazon is a complex territory where many realities and challenges coexist simultaneously. If the forest isn't attacked by deforestation or burning, it is attacked by illegal mining. Indigenous communities live under the constant threat of losing their rightful territories. Pirates roam the rivers, robbing riverside dwellers and their communities. People still live without access to the internet, electricity, or water. Due to climate change, drought is extreme, creating an emergency situation that isolates families and prevents movement. Beyond that, there is the presence of illegal drugs, organized crime, prostitution, corruption, and other social challenges to overcome. The Amazon is, in fact, a very complex territory.

Amidst this complexity lies fertile ground, full of opportunity and possible futures. In the heart of the forest are the young riverine and indigenous people, or, as they call themselves, " the guardians of the forest and its biodiversity ." Eager for knowledge and dissatisfied with the status quo, they seek a new path. How do these young people envision their futures? How do they see their roles?

It was with these questions that the Youth Congress began, an event held by the Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS), in partnership with the Bem Maior Movement and BNDES . To explain the congress, we need to take two steps back and understand the role of FAS in this scenario. FAS exists with the purpose of contributing to the environmental conservation of the Amazon through the appreciation of the standing forest and its biodiversity, and the improvement of the quality of life of riverside communities associated with the implementation and dissemination of knowledge about sustainable development. The partnership between BNDES, the Bem Maior Movement, and FAS seeks to strengthen 11 municipal networks in Amazonas through the continuing education of teachers and managers with innovative pedagogical practices , as well as the co-implementation of a pilot program of the New High School curriculum in five schools for the vocational training of young people from the deep Amazon. The Youth Congress, lasting two days, was part of the activities resulting from this partnership.

It took three days of travel by boat for all the young people to reach the Tumbira community, a common reality within the Amazonian context that brings with it reflection on the challenges of school transportation. On the morning of the event, a young woman named Carmem Lorayne told us her story. Her parents opposed the project, not for lack of recognition, but for fear of losing an important workforce in riverside activities. Even so, the young woman decided to participate and began to experience new activities. She learned stories, acted in plays, listened to lectures, participated in games, interacted with different people, expressed her feelings and doubts, and gradually began to develop a sense of agency and a voice within herself . She was invited to attend the congress and accepted, enthusiastic about the possibility of leaving her community for the first time. Two days by boat, and all the tiredness dissolved upon arriving at the venue, picking up the microphone and sharing her story. Other young people also shared their stories. Different paths, similar contexts.

The ultimate goal, as mentioned, was to leave with the youth manifesto for the future of the forest , a document that will be delivered to the offices of the mayors of their respective municipalities. For many, it was the first time they had left their municipality. The emotion was great and permeated every day. Being there meant a lot to them. Much more than a simple manifesto, the congress was an opportunity to express their existence, value their origins, and respect their histories. The event continued with lectures, exchanges, and activities, coordinated and carried out by the FAS pedagogical team.

At each activity, a young person spoke up. With each statement, a possible future was being drawn. "I am the protagonist of my own story and, therefore, I fight for the improvement of my territory, the strengthening of my community, and my continued presence on my land," highlights one of the passages in the document.

Giving young people a leading role involves raising their awareness of their rights as citizens, understanding that they have a voice and that this voice is the future, and giving them space to express themselves and discover themselves.

The manifesto is born. The message is clear: “even though we are young, we are leaders, and because we are young leaders, we know our rights as well as our duties , and we want to ensure that these are implemented.” The result of ethical and responsible work done by FAS, the organization represents an opportunity, a window of opportunity, for young people. The organization learns from them about their ancestral knowledge, their routines and rhythms, and they learn from it about their protagonism, their leadership, and their role in society.

"Youth is the solution for the future of the Amazon and the world." We cannot forget the young people who will shape the future. As long as there is action, and as long as that action belongs to active youth, there will be hope for a more dignified, sustainable, and just future.

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This post was written by

Beatriz Waclawek, Social Investment Manager