Raising awareness about the crucial role played by the Amazonian tropical forests in the fight against climate change and their contribution to the well-being of humanity, as well as the urgency of acting to contribute to their protection, is one of the main mission lines of IRI-Colombia, which periodically carries out training processes for the members of the local chapters. with the purpose of sensitizing them to these issues and providing them with tools to become active guardians of the Amazon.
It is for this reason that last June the Interreligious Initiative for Tropical Forests held four pedagogical days in the department of Caquetá, aimed at IRI-San Vicente del Caguán, IRI-Ciudad Yarí and IRI-Campo Hermoso; IRI-Puerto Rico, IRI-Bajo Riecito and IRI-La Soledad; IRI-Cartagena del Chairá, IRI-Remolinos del Caguán and IRI-La Primavera; IRI-Curillo, IRI-Núcleo Horizonte and IRI-Mayoyoque.
These educational meetings were attended by religious leaders, representatives of indigenous peoples, presidents of village nuclei and action boards, teachers and rectors of educational institutions, members of social and environmental organizations, municipal mayors, councilors and representatives of local authorities, who are part of these twelve local chapters and received training on payments for environmental services and the impact of deforestation on the environment. department and in the Amazon biome.
During each day, attendees also received a talk on ecotheology given by one of the religious leaders of the region. In San Vicente del Caguan, the reflection on God’s place in nature was led by Pastor Julieth Quevedo, coordinator of the IRI chapters in this municipality. In Curillo, it was led by the pastor of the United Pentecostal Church of Colombia and member of IRI-Curillo, William Navia; and in Cartagena del Chairá and Puerto Rico, by Nudy María Oviedo and Pastor John Jairo Escobar, respectively, coordinators of these local chapters.
Likewise, the participants of these four pedagogical days participated in a practical workshop in which they identified the outstanding natural elements of their territories, which constitute an environmental potential when formulating a project for payment for environmental services.
Schedule
- June 12. Formation process of IRI-San Vicente del Caguán, IRI-Ciudad Yarí and IRI-Campo Hermoso. Parish Theater, in San Vicente del Caguán.
- June 13. Formation process of IRI-Puerto Rico, IRI-Bajo Riecito and IRI-La Soledad. Auditorium of the Calima Hotel, in Puerto Rico.
- June 14. Formation process of IRI-Cartagena del Chairá, IRI-La Primavera and IRI-Remolinos del Caguán. Cartagena del Chairá Show, in Cartagena del Chairá.
- June 15. IRI-Curillo Formation Process, IRI-Nucleus Horizon and IRI-Mayoyoque. Francisco Javier Rivera Municipal Auditorium, in Curillo.
