Environmentalists of Caquetá gathered inputs for the creation of the Intergenerational Pact for the life of the Amazon
More than 50 young people participated in “Days of Hope in Caquetá”, a creative activism event for the conservation of the Colombian Amazon, driven by Landscapes of Hope, Dejusticia, PID Amazon, Red Cross and Tell.
What do you imagine when you think of the Amazon? Who is primarily responsible for deforestation? The industries, the state or the way we consume? What guarantees should we demand from the governments of the world? These were some of the questions that were collectively discussed in “Days of Hope” (Days of Hope), a creative activism event that brought together, on September 21, environmental leaders of Caquetá, the department with the highest deforestation rate in Colombia.
The meeting was attended by more than 50 young people from 11 municipalities of Caquetá, leaders of rural and indigenous movements and students from urban and rural areas, who shared their experiences and struggles around the protection of the Amazon rainforest.
Through different co-creation methodologies, attendees identified common interests and formulated joint proposals to act against deforestation in their community, school and family environments.
Days of Hope was made possible thanks to the support of the Landscapes of Hope initiative and the alliance between Dejusticia, Tell, PID Amazonia and the Cundinamarca Red Cross.
The day joined the recent international mobilizations against Climate Change and took place the same weekend where millions of young people and other citizens of 150 countries participated in the Climate Strikes, and went out to the streets demanding their governments actions real against global warming.
“From PID Amazon we will continue to join forces with organizations and other institutions that work to stop deforestation in the Amazon, the“ Days of Hope ”day, in Caquetá realizes that articulated and collective work has a greater impact than isolated actions and uncoordinated, ”said Luis Cote, member and facilitator of PID.
In this way, Days of Hope was a space where young people could learn about the first guardianship of climate change and future generations in Latin America, led in 2018 by 25 children and young people from 17 cities in Colombia.
In April 2018, the young people, accompanied by Dejusticia, succeeded in having the Supreme Court of Justice order the Government to implement national and local strategies to curb deforestation and create an Intergenerational Pact for the Life of the Colombian Amazon (PIVAC). In addition, the Court declared the Amazon as a subject of rights, which means that the Government and civil society have the task of protecting, conserving and restoring it.
“This day allowed us to meet and listen to young people who have been working for the Amazon for years and who have a special relationship with the territory. We realized that creative methodologies and art are very useful for activating necessary conversations, such as the meaning of PIVAC, and reflecting on such important issues as deforestation and climate change, ”says Helena Durán, a researcher in the area of justice Environmental Dejusticia.
During the event, the Atempo Collective Foundation made a loom with the contributions of the participants. Scarlet macaws, toucans and monkeys shared space with the threats that threaten their survival: mining, livestock and deforestation. Artists Diego Malaver and Juan Pablo Caicedo closed the conversation asking the young people what can they do to unite for the defense of the Amazon?
In the middle there was a boy with indigenous features and a peasant girl representing the birth and diverse conformation of the PIVAC, surrounded by the phrase “We are Defenders of the Amazon – Together We Sow Changes”, which arose from working with young people throughout the day
“We hope that the loom that we paint and build together, travels through rivers, jungles and mountains of Caquetá, carrying this message and inviting young people to know, love and defend this region, in order to build this pact for the life of our Amazon,” Caicedo said at the end of the day.
While deforestation figures in Colombia remain worrisome, different organizations such as Dejusticia prepare to attend public hearings cited by the Superior Court of Bogotá to follow up on the orders of the Supreme Court of Justice. More than 90 government entities will explain how they are complying with STC 4360 of 2018.