Between April to June, IRI Peru held a series of “Save the Forests” training workshops for religious leaders in the different regions where the its local chapters are located (Chiriaco, Bellavista, Moyobamba, Pucallpa, Quillabamba, Puerto Inca and Yurimaguas). The workshop sessions allowed the active participation of religious leaders to become informed advocates for the protection and defense of forests. The workshops focused on science, theology and political advocacy, which were worked on using a range of teaching materials, including videos, games, and posters, and workshops were adapted to the reality of the leaders of each community. The 527 religious leaders that were trained through the workshops came from the Assemblies of God, the Church of the Nazarene, the Church of Jesus Christ, the Catholic Church and evangelical churches present in each area, as well as educational agents and environmental promoters linked to the faith communities. Materials and work modules used in the sessions were shared with participants, allowing for the further replication of the workshops. For example, religious leaders from the Chiriaco Churches of the Nazarene and the Assemblies of God in the district of Imaza replicated the “Save the Forests” workshop for more than 82 leaders of their congregations, using the materials, modules, and videos. Likewise, religious leaders from Yurimaguas and Moyobamba replicated the workshops with students from their schools. In total, 15 workshops were held, with the following distribution: Chiriaco (4), Bellavista (2), Moyobamba (3), Pucallpa (1), Quillabamba (1), Puerto Inca (1) and Yurimaguas (3).
