Dear relatives,
It’s important to gather, to connect with others, to connect with place, to connect with the essence of what we share, humanity. It’s also important to gather with intention, to connect our individual perspectives to create shared stories that bind us.
The Aniwa Gathering, held in Big Bear, California from June 8 to 11, will gather over 40 indigenous leaders from across the world. It offers attendees the opportunity to listen to the wise ways of ancient cultures, to connect their story to the people that live with and protect the Earth.
We are excited to be there.
🗞️ In Climate News
💸 Big polluters’ share prices fall after climate lawsuits, study finds.
🚰 Nevada, Arizona, and California strike deal to restrict water use to save the Colorado river from the livestock industry.
🇬🇧 Cornish farm launches project to triple UK’s temperate rainforest.
💸 Italy’s agricultural sectors faces 1.5Billion in damages amid deadly floods.
🌀 Deadly cyclone Mocha batters Bangladesh and Myanmar, leaving thousands homeless.
📈 Cool Trends
♾️ eco-stories
✨ Gathering Life
Vivien Vivela started working with Rudy Randa in 2015.
his is when we met Ninawa, from the Huni Kuin people, the first leader we started working with. The BOA Foundation was born doing projects in indigenous communities, we were focusing on water wells, schools and cultural centres, always with the dream to do the land buyback projects which we are focused on today.”
The BOA Foundation works with indigenous communities to regenerate degraded ecosystems and protect biodiversity. They support strategic land buybacks, reforestation projects and a range of projects that increase the capacity of land and the indigenous communities that live with it.
Back in 2016, Vivien was introduced to a possible donor of funds to BOA. The friend who introduced Vivien to this donor knew she had a lot of relationships in Ibiza — the donor wanted to do an event there — and asked Vivien if she could introduce him to her connections there.
“So I went for a meeting with this guy. I had never planned Aniwa Gathering, I never dreamed of it, but as I was talking with this guy, a new idea flowed through me, so I said to the guy why don’t you do a meeting of indigenous leaders, like a cultural gathering? This guy had nothing to do with spirituality but he was taken by my vision that came from so much love and excitement, and he said I don’t understand anything about this, would you be willing to help and work with me?
💩 WTF NEWS?
🌏 The Culture Club
📺 What we’re watching: Broken Wings
📸 Profile of the week: @aniwa.co
📚 What we’re reading: Half Eart, by Edward O. Wilson
🤯 Scary fact we learnt this week: no G20 country is on track to meet the Paris Agreement signed 8 years ago.