With the purpose of generating spaces for exchange, reflection and dialogue that make visible the importance of the territory from the vision of different indigenous peoples and the associated problems, the forum “Amazonian Ancestral Knowledge: A New Vision of the Future” was held in Iquitos, an event where indigenous leaders, environmental defenders and State entities participated.
Panelists from high level such as Jorge Pérez, president of AIDESEP of the Murui people, Jamner Manihuari, vice coordinator of COICA of the Kukama Kukamiria people, Jamer López- President of ORAU of the Shipibo Konibo people, Wrays Pérez, leader of the Wampis Nation, Never Tuesta, coordinator of FORMABIAP from the Awajún people, Liz Chicaje, Bora leader and 2021 Goldman environmental winner and Betty Rubio, leader of the Kichwa people; in addition to Víctor Zambrano, environmental defender and president of the Management Committee of the Tambopata National Reserve of the Madre de Dios region, who reflected on the ancestral knowledge related to the territory that the Amazonian peoples treasure.
On the part of the State, representatives of the Directorate of Prior Consultation of the Ministry of Culture, the Regional Government of Loreto and the Regional Management of the Environment, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MTC), Provías Descentralizado, and the Superior Court of Justice were present. of Loreto, who have the task of guaranteeing the rights over the territory of indigenous peoples and their associated knowledge.
During the Forum, indigenous leaders stated that many of their territories and with them their ancestral and current knowledge are threatened by various infrastructure projects that the State promotes without initiating a dialogue with the people and knowing their vision.
The event ended with an open letter signed by the attendees, officially requesting the MTC and competent bodies to agree and install in the short term, a permanent and multi-sector technical table on Ancestral Knowledge, Territory and Connectivity in Loreto, as a space that promote the participation of indigenous peoples in decision-making and monitoring of infrastructure projects that may affect their collective rights and the integrity of their ancestral territories.
This event was held in alliance with the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Loreto, the Federation of Maijuna Native Communities (FECONAMAI), One Planet Perú, the Peruvian Society for Environmental Development (SPDA) and Law, Resources and Environment (DAR) and was part of the IV Meeting of Amazonian Ancestral Knowledge, which this year had the participation of 15 wise men and women from the Maijuna, Kichwa, Murui, Bora and Ikitu peoples, which had as its theme the importance of the territory for the native peoples of the Peruvian Amazon .