The sun hadn’t risen in the sky yet when the first groups of Indigenous Peoples arrived last week in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Slowly, the silence of the night was broken by the sounds of music, dances and Indigenous rituals. That is how the 15th Free Land Camp began. This year, the largest Indigenous mobilisation in the world brought more than four thousand Indigenous Peoples together to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and most importantly, resist and fight for their rights.
April 24th – Day 1
April 25th – Day 2
On the second day of the Free Land Camp, Indigenous leaders met with government officials to demand the government to protect their lands. When President Bolsonaro took office in January 1st in Brazil this year, the new administration has taken measures to weaken environmental protection laws, directly affecting the lands and the lives of Indigenous Peoples.
April 26th – Day 3
Every year, on the last day of the Indigenous assembly, a traditional march takes place to show the world the magnitude of the gathering and the strength of those who have been fighting for their rights for hundreds of years. After an intense week, Indigenous Peoples showed the world that they will continue to resist and fight for their rights in a peaceful way.
All over the world, extreme weather events such as hurricanes, droughts and floods are becoming stronger and more destructive. If we want to avoid climate chaos, we must not allow deforestation to continue. Indigenous Peoples are on the frontlines protecting the forest, facing violence and being threatened. We must protect those who protect the planet for all of us.
Join the movement to stand with the guardians of the forest.