Expressing concern about environmental degradation and the negative impacts on nature resulting from human activity, in 2009, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared April 22 as Earth Day.
The signatory countries of this declaration recognize that “the depletion of the world’s natural resources and rapid environmental degradation are the result of unsustainable patterns of consumption and production, which have adverse consequences for both the Earth and the health and general well-being of humanity.”
Over the years, the United Nations (UN) has drawn attention to the main environmental challenges of our time and warned about the impacts of global warming, such as the increase in extreme events — torrential rains and intense droughts —, the melting of glaciers and the rise in sea levels. It also highlights air, water and soil pollution, especially due to the excessive presence of plastics; desertification and soil degradation; the difficulty of accessing drinking water; deforestation and the loss of biodiversity.
In the face of so many challenges, it is essential to promote the transition to a low-impact economy that ensures sustainable development and collective well-being, connected to the need to transform consumption patterns into more responsible practices aligned with the preservation of the planet.
Harmonious coexistence
The creation of Earth Day shows us that it is urgent to restore the relationship between humanity and the environment. And in this relationship, it is essential to highlight the leading role of indigenous peoples who have cared for the Earth for millennia with love, respect and wisdom, are guardians of nature and protectors of the planet’s climate balance.
The native peoples hold valuable knowledge about the responsible use of natural resources, respect for the Earth’s cycles and harmonious coexistence with ecosystems. Their practices of cultivation, fishing, gathering and forest management are examples of sustainability, often ignored by conventional development models. These methods ensure not only the survival of indigenous communities, but also the health of the planet.
Preserving indigenous knowledge means protecting languages, rituals, stories, ways of life and worldviews that enrich the human experience. Recognizing the central role of indigenous peoples in protecting biodiversity is a necessary step towards reversing the impacts of environmental destruction and building more conscious societies.
“The Fraternity – International Humanitarian Missions (FIHM), through the Roraima Humanitarian Mission, fulfills a valuable purpose of creating the ideal situation so that the original and traditional identity is not lost amidst the turbulence and challenges experienced by migrant peoples or families from their country of origin and who today find in the Indigenous Cultural and Training Center a possibility of seeing the truth that allows them to be who they are to continue,” emphasizes Aajhmaná, a member of the Roraima Humanitarian Mission coordination team.
Another way of life is possible
According to MapBiomas, in 38 years, Brazilian indigenous lands have lost less than 1% of their native vegetation, while in private areas the loss was 28%. This data reinforces an ancient truth: where there are indigenous people, there is a standing forest.
Their relationship of deep care with nature teaches us that another way of living is possible, and that harmony with Mother Earth is essential for the preservation of life on the planet.
Faced with environmental challenges and social inequality, the Light-Community Flower of the Sacred Tepui, coordinated by the Roraima Humanitarian Mission, and with the support of the Indigenous Cultural and Training Center (CCFI), is implementing Agroforestry Systems (SAFs) as a sustainable alternative for soil regeneration and food production. This practice, based on ancestral knowledge, combines the cultivation of trees and agricultural crops, promoting biodiversity, ecosystem recovery and self-sufficiency.
The initiative actively involves indigenous communities, especially the Pemon-Taurepang people, by promoting the exchange of knowledge, training and local empowerment. The project has already planted around 500 fruit trees and provided cassava, in addition to natural fertilization techniques. Agroforestry has established itself as a space for production, learning and ecological and social transformation, demonstrating that cooperation and respect for nature are viable paths to a sustainable future.
For Ricardo Luis Rodriguez, from the Kamarakoto people, this exchange of experiences and knowledge is something that his community greatly needs: “sharing cultures is something very beautiful and brings us closer together and stronger as brothers.”
Friar Thomas, coordinator of the Light-Community Flower of the Sacred Tepui, emphasizes that this project not only offers healthy food, but also promotes a deep connection with nature, regenerating both the earth and human consciousness.
