Indigenous-Led Cultural and Ecosystems Regeneration 

 

What is Regeneration?

Placing life at the heart of every action and choice, regeneration extends its influence across the entire spectrum of existence. This principle resonates just as profoundly within the realms of family, communities, cities, schools, spirituality, commerce, and governments, as it does in addressing ecosystems collapse and climate challenges.

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Forests are key providers of global ecosystem services and offer diverse benefits to humanity. Many societal needs, economic activities, and cultural or spiritual values rely on forests. They are essential for food, medicine, water, and provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits for millions, while hosting over 80% of terrestrial species (FAO and UNEP, 2020).​

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"Scientists studying the Amazon and all its wondrous assets (agree).

Today we stand in a moment of destiny: The tipping point is here, it is now."

- Carlos Nobre, Nobel Prize-winning scientist

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The Regeneration Generation Collaborations

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Amazon Bio-Cultural Institute and Bond  

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What is Regenerative Financing?

​What if capital could not only be used to extract from nature, but to regenerate? We can enable this by aligning financial systems with the principles of living ecosystems and Indigenous wisdom.  Amid today’s complex crises, the global economy can no longer overlook the ecological and social challenges, recognizing its deep connection to biodiversity. With growing awareness and regulatory pressures, financial actors are increasingly interested in supporting bio-cultural regeneration.

 

However, relying on outdated financial frameworks risks continued commodification and centralization of natural resources. We aim not just to close the nature finance gap to protect nature, but also to rethink how resources are managed, structured, and governed. Real solutions require deep transformations in systems, relationships, and worldviews.

Presenting a decentralized model for financial governance, creating project portfolios that drive systemic change and support a regenerative economy, we connect centralized financial resources with grassroots organizations dedicated to regeneration, acting as crucial intermediaries that channel diverse capital into well-coordinated projects. In return, the benefits of regeneration flow back to investors in a community-centered, non-exploitative manner.

We build portfolios that create positive feedback loops, enhancing systemic value across multiple projects. We aim to offer multinational corporations a pathway to reconnect with local communities impacted by their operations, fostering healing and reciprocity. By shifting capital from harmful systems to regenerative, bio-cultural economies, our goal is to ensure that capital returns to life and to those who nurture it.
 

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Collaborations

SRI has been working with Indigenous and marginalized peoples worldwide to accelerate technologies and bio-economies to protect and regenerate vital rainforest ecosystems and traditional wisdom and cultures. After living with the Puyanawa People of Acre Brazil, we gathered and co-led a team of 120 scientists and innovators, qualifying as XPRIZE Rainforest 2023 Semifinalists in Singapore. We brought our work and our partners to speak with us at over a dozen events at Davos World Economic Forum, and convened the Science Summit at the United Nations: Digital Democracy for Climate Action in New York, Davos, COP29 and COP16 and spoke at Poptech at the Kennedy Center, and with Mongabay at Sun Valley. We are founding members of the Oki Language Project with Eugene Brave Rock to protect Indigenous languages and cultures, and of the Bioplanning Foundation to build cities in harmony with nature. We co-hosted the Global People's Summit during the United Nations General Assembly, convening the world's first fully online accessible and immersive dialogue connecting decision-makers world leaders, the UN and a network of global influencers, with over 400+ million in 190+ countries.

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PUYANAWA SACRED FOREST PROJECT

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Problem 

In Acre, Northwestern Brazil, the Puyanawa Tribe lived for thousands of years in harmony with nature, known as Protectors of the Sacred Forests. 120 years ago, much of the tribe was massacred, enslaved, and dispossessed from their ancestral lands by enslavers. Now their Sacred Forests are threatened by illegal burning, contributing to the "Savanization of the Amazon" and ecosystems collapse.

 

Solutions

1. We aim to purchase 11,000 hectares of virgin Sacred Forest in Acre, to protect one of the world's greatest biodiversity hotspots, returning the land to the Puyanawa People who have nurtured it for many generations.

2. We aim to create an institute for education, research, cultural, and ecosystem regeneration, by developing and implementing bio-economies and biodiversity / hybrid carbon credits, to provide climate justice and ecosystems regeneration income intergenerationally for indigenous forest protectors.

 

Campaign

We are co-creating a film and initiative to reverse the tide of devastation and inspire hope with new approaches to ecological protection worldwide.  

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Key Objectives

1. Restoration of Sacred Lands: Land tenure security, securing the most critical rainforests that are endangered, and returning them to Indigenous stewardship, while providing infrastructure and support for their protection and regeneration.

2. Develop Socio-Bioeconomies based around the sustainable use and restoration of healthy standing forests and flowing rivers and support the well-being, knowledge, rights, and territories of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Following the SPA Bioeconomy Policy Brief released during the Amazon Presidents' Summit in 2023 (www.https://www.theamazonwewant.org/spa_publication/policy-brief-supporting-socio-bioeconomies-of-healthy-standing-forests-and-flowing-rivers-in-the-amazon/).

3. Developing Carbon Credits into Biodiversity Credits: Creating sustainable income sources for Indigenous people through environmental conservation efforts that also contribute to global climate solutions:

   1. Emphasize the transition in economic valuation from timber, where the value of chopped wood surpasses that of a living tree, to recognizing a living tree for its intrinsic valuable as nurturer of intersectional thriving of biodiversity, thereby inverting the traditional valuation to prioritize living trees over timber.

   2. Developing technologies and democratic data cooperatives to measure and monitor biodiversity of the forest and its associated carbon/biodiversity credits, ensuring that Indigenous populations guide these efforts while also being beneficiaries intergenerationally of their outcomes.

4. Educational Campaigns: Highlighting Indigenous stories and broader environmental issues through films, series, and books aimed at raising global awareness and support. Regeneration efforts must originate from the heart of ancient wisdom and practices (sacred knowledge) and from the heart of Nature itself (sacred lands).

   1. Develop the “Heart of Regeneration” to provide a space where theory and practice converge, furthering the project's mission of environmental conservation, cultural preservation, and global education on these critical issues.

   2. Measuring and Monitoring Technologies such as satellites, high-definition webcams at strategic locations within the Home of Regeneration, such as a sky bridge or its highest point, to provide live streaming capabilities. This initiative could serve multiple purposes:

   3. Educational Tool: Offer global audiences a real-time window into the Amazon, allowing for virtual tours, educational programs, and increased awareness of the forest's biodiversity.

   4. Conservation Effort: Act as a deterrent against illegal activities by providing real-time surveillance of the forest, potentially in partnership with local law enforcement or conservation groups.

   5. Technological Partnership: Collaborate with technology providers like Planet and Starlink to ensure reliable internet connectivity, showcasing how modern technology can support remote communities and conservation efforts.

5. The Trust: A legal entity designed to hold the land with the Indigenous peoples as perpetual beneficiaries, focusing on cultural and biodiversity preservation, education, and supporting the broader mission through the development of biodiversity/carbon credits.

6. Global Collaboration and Support: Engaging a wide network of scientists, innovators, nonprofits, and climate leaders, including recognition and support from high-profile platforms and organizations.

Proposal: Data cooperatives, being multistakeholder by nature, can be instrumental in fulfilling this endeavor.

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Global Benefits

This project will provide a model to protect indigenous peoples and ecosystems globally

 

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PLURIETHNIC  INDIGENOUS UNIVERSITY OF MARACANA VILLAGE, RIO ​

The Pluriethnic Indigenous University of Maracanã Village, situated in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, stands as a pioneering institution dedicated to serving the urban Indigenous population of Brazil. It operates not only as a center for education and cultural preservation but also acts as an Indigenous Embassy, advocating for Indigenous rights at a national and international level.

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This unique university was established following a vibrant history of Indigenous activism and reclamation of space. It all began with the occupation of the Maracanã Village area, where the old Indian Museum, once left to deteriorate, stands beside the famous Maracanã stadium. The movement to reclaim this territory gained momentum during the Terra Livre Camp in the early days of President Lula's administration, culminating in a landmark congress at the State University of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) in 2006. This event brought together representatives from various Indigenous ethnic groups and aligned with broader social and labor movements, solidifying the foundation for what would become a permanent reclaiming of the Indigenous sacred site.

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As an educational institution, the Pluriethnic Indigenous University of Maracanã offers an array of courses that span Indigenous languages, agroecology, environmental education, arts, theater, and more, all rooted in ancestral knowledge. However, its role extends beyond education into the political and cultural arenas. It serves as an embassy, a place where Indigenous voices can articulate their needs and rights, engaging directly with governmental and international bodies. This dual function emphasizes the university's commitment to fostering a space where Indigenous cultural practices are not only taught but also actively practiced and integrated into broader societal frameworks.

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The university is a living museum, showcasing and disseminating Indigenous culture, history, and knowledge through its courses and community interactions. It regularly hosts international congresses and seminars, attracting scholars, politicians, and activists to discuss and shape the future of Indigenous rights. Notable visitors have included prominent figures from various international communities, contributing to a rich exchange of ideas and strengthening the university’s role as a hub for Indigenous advocacy.

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Moreover, the university's establishment and ongoing activities challenge the typical narratives and structures imposed by colonial educational systems. It is managed autonomously by Indigenous people from diverse ethnic backgrounds, ensuring that no single group dominates and that the university's operations reflect a truly pluriethnic and decolonized approach. This structure not only empowers the Indigenous community within but also sets a precedent for how Indigenous educational institutions can function independently of state and traditional academic frameworks.

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In addition to its educational and political roles, the Pluriethnic Indigenous University of Maracanã acts as a crucial meeting point and cultural center for the Indigenous population of Rio, many of whom have migrated from various parts of Brazil and find themselves navigating the complexities of urban life while striving to maintain their cultural identity. The university helps to bridge the gap between traditional Indigenous lifestyles and urban living, providing a space where urban Indigenous peoples can reconnect with their heritage, learn from each other, and strengthen their communal ties.

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The Pluriethnic Indigenous University of Maracanã Village, through its dynamic role as both an educational institution and an Indigenous embassy, continues to be a beacon of hope and resistance, championing the rights, culture, and education of Indigenous peoples in Brazil's urban landscapes. It stands as a testament to the resilience and enduring spirit of Brazil's Indigenous communities, advocating for their rightful place in the national and international dialogue on Indigenous rights.

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A comprehensive initiative to protect and restore the biodiversity and Indigenous forest-protectors of the Amazon rainforest, for global good. This project's multifaceted systemic approach includes land restoration, the establishment of a trust to ensure long-term sustainability and protection, educational campaigns, development of bioeconomies, biodiversity credits for intergenerational income for forest protectors, and rehabilitation projects, to help all integrate into the green transition.

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Photo ©Indrani Pal-Chaudhuri @SRI at the Science Summit at the United Nations General Assembly: Ditigal Democracy for Climate Action