IRI Peru working with bishops of the amazon to assess needs of forests and indigenous peoples 

IRI Peru held a working meeting with Bishops of the Amazon to evaluate the situation of the forests and the people living in them. Participating Bishops included Alfredo Vizcarra (Vicariate of Jaén), Humberto Tapia (Chachapoyas), Gerardo Zerdín (San Ramón), Martín Quijano (Pucallpa), Jesús María Aristín (Yurimaguas) and Mons.David Martínez (Puerto Maldonado). The meeting was based on shared recognition of the threats to the Amazon from illegal activities and regressive legislative initiatives, as well as the emerging possibilities to protection and restoration. IRI Peru presented the program and the work of their local chapters, and discussed how to strengthen joint actions in the Amazon regions. Participants agreed on the urgency of taking action for forests and reinforcing the work with the different faith communities in the territory, including the development of a systematic training program for pastoral agents. Mariano Castro, director of the United for Forests program (@Fundación para la Conservación y el Desarrollo Sostenible) participated in the session and made a presentation on the main threats to the forests and the peoples that inhabit them, as well as a review of the legislative initiatives that could affect the Amazon.