Indigenous organizations from Amazonian countries are participating in COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia, to strengthen international advocacy in defense of biodiversity, ancestral territories, and the rights of indigenous peoples.
The strength of the Amazon is on display in Yerevan, Armenia, where representatives of indigenous organizations from the region are participating in the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), bringing the voices, knowledge, and proposals of the peoples who inhabit and protect one of the most biodiverse territories on the planet.
Committed to coordinating efforts among Amazonian countries, this participation aims to strengthen international advocacy for the protection of biodiversity and the recognition of the fundamental role of indigenous peoples in caring for their territories.
Among the organizations present are the Coordinating Body of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA), the National Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon (OPIAC), the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP), the Coordinating Body of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities, and the Union of Indigenous Women of the Brazilian Amazon (UMIAB).
The presence of these organizations represents an opportunity to raise awareness of the proposals of Amazonian indigenous peoples in multilateral decision-making forums, as well as to demand effective participation in international policies and commitments related to biodiversity conservation.
The Amazon: A Vital Territory for Biodiversity
The Amazon is a territory of fundamental importance to the planet’s ecological balance. Its biological richness, ecosystems, and water sources are closely linked to the knowledge, cultures, and ways of life of the Indigenous peoples who inhabit it.
Over generations, these peoples have developed practices of stewardship and territorial management that contribute to the conservation of forests and biodiversity. However, their territories continue to face threats related to deforestation, extractive activities, and other environmental and social pressures.
In this context, the participation of indigenous organizations at COP17 aims to remind us that protecting biodiversity requires recognizing territorial rights, ensuring community participation, and valuing their ancestral knowledge in developing solutions to the ecological crisis.
A Unified Voice for the Future of Amazonian Peoples
The collaboration among indigenous organizations from Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and other territories in the Amazon basin underscores the importance of building common agendas to defend life and collective rights.
This international presence also highlights the need for global conservation commitments to translate into concrete actions that respect the autonomy of indigenous peoples, strengthen their capacities, and guarantee dignified conditions for the communities that protect their territories.
From the perspective of the Church with an Amazonian face, the defense of biodiversity is deeply linked to socio-environmental justice, respect for cultures, and the recognition of the dignity of all peoples. Caring for the Amazon also means listening to those who inhabit it and recognizing their leading role in building a sustainable future.
The Amazonian participation in Yerevan thus serves as an invitation to strengthen cooperation among peoples, organizations, and institutions so that the protection of biodiversity translates into an effective defense of life, territories, and future generations.
The Amazon is making its voice heard around the world: protecting its territories and recognizing the rights of its peoples is a fundamental task for the care of our Common Home.