As part of ClimateWeek NYC, held September 22-29 in the Big Apple, the Interfaith Rainforest Initiative in Colombia participated in the forum “Religions in Action for Tropical Rainforest, the Climate, Indigenous Peoples and Traditional Communities in the Amazon,” a high-level private event convened by the Global Interfaith Rainforest Initiative.

The meeting served as a space for reflection on the future of the Amazonian tropical forests and brought together a group of 20 people from important organizations such as the World Resources Institute, Meridian Institute, Global Forest Watch, International Forest Unit, Rainforest Foundation Norway, Climate Leadership Initiative, among others. In addition, it was moderated by Ambassador Hans Brattskar, special envoy of the Ministry of Climate and Environment of the government of Norway, and the presentation of the Minister of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil, Sonia Guajajara.
In addition, Carlos Vicente, Blanca Lucía Echeverry and Laura Vargas, national coordinators of IRI Brazil, IRI Colombia and IRI Peru, respectively, spoke about IRI’s vision at the regional level and presented the work of the three national programmes in each of these countries.
“One of its objectives is to coordinate efforts to promote adequate compliance with the national and international commitments that the Colombian State has assumed in terms of the protection of environmental and human rights defenders; protection and restoration of the Amazon; and compliance with climate change policies,” said Blanca Lucía Echeverry about the Territorial and Parliamentary Alliance for the Protection of the Colombian Amazon, one of IRI-Colombia’s main political advocacy strategies.
The national coordinator also referred to territorial intervention strategies, through local chapters in the regions of the Amazon most affected by deforestation, training and communications.