Guardians of the forest: Amazonian youth shaping the future

Don't forget us.

Youth Congress began , organized by the Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS), 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 Três Unidos indigenous community came together to, among other activities, design the Youth Manifesto for the Future of the Forest.

For those who live in a big city, 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 is a provider of life, abundance and sustenance . There is food through the rivers, through the forest there are resources. There is a link, a connection between the forest and its inhabitants. She supports herself for them and they maintain herself for her. In this context, it is difficult to understand how in a place of such richness and diversity there is scarcity and inequalities.

The Amazon is a complex territory in which many realities and challenges coexist simultaneously. If the forest is not attacked by deforestation or burning, it is attacked by illegal mining. Indigenous communities live under constant threat of losing their rightful territories. On the rivers, pirates circulate and rob river dwellers and their communities. People still live without access to internet, electricity or water. Due to climate change, the drought is extreme and causes an emergency scenario, isolating families and preventing movement. In addition to the presence of illegal drugs, organized crime, prostitution, corruption, among other social challenges to be overcome. The Amazon is, in fact, a very complex territory.

In the midst of this complexity lies fertile soil, full of opportunity and possible futures. In the heart of the forest, there are young riverside and indigenous people or, as they called themselves, “ the guardians of the forest and its biodiversity ”. Eager for knowledge and unhappy with the status quo, they seek a new path. How do these young people see 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 Movimento Bem Maior and BNDES . To explain the congress, we need to take two steps back and understand the role of the FAS in this scenario. FAS exists with the purpose of contributing to the environmental conservation of the Amazon through the valorization 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 seeks to strengthen 11 municipal networks in Amazonas through the continued training of teachers and managers with innovative pedagogical practices , as well as the co-implementation of the New High School pilot in five schools for vocational training for young people in the Amazon deep. The Youth Congress, lasting two days, was part of the activities arising from the 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, exposed her feelings and doubts, and began, little by little, to emerge within herself as a protagonist and a voice . She was invited to attend the conference and accepted, excited about the possibility of leaving her community for the first time. It was two days on the boat and all tiredness melted away when he arrived at the location, picked up the microphone and shared his story. Other young people also shared their stories. Different paths, similar contexts.

The final objective, as mentioned, was to come out with the youth manifesto for the future of the forest , a document that will be delivered to the mayors' offices 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 stories. The event continued with lectures, exchanges and activities, coordinated and carried out by the FAS pedagogical team.

At each activity, a young person demonstrated. With each manifesto, a possible future was being designed. “I am the protagonist of my story and, to that end, I fight for the improvement of my territory, the strengthening of my community and the permanence of my homeland”, highlights one of the excerpts from the document.

Giving young people a leading role involves making them aware of their rights as citizens, understanding that they have a voice and that voice is the future, 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 carried out by FAS, the organization represents an opportunity, a window, for young people. The organization learns from them about their ancestral knowledge, their routines and times and they learn from it about their protagonism, leadership and role in society.

“Youth is the solution for the future of the Amazon and the world”. There is no forgetting 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 fair future.

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This post was written by

Beatriz Waclawek, Social Investment Manager