Financing Mechanisms for the Amazon: Towards Better Cooperation Between Indigenous Organisations and Funders.
This special edition of the podcast is a conversation that brings together several strategic actors: leaders of Amazonian indigenous organizations, program managers of NGOs and funding mechanisms, and private conservation funds to discuss their respective experiences and expectations for the protection of the Amazon and empowerment of the indigenous people residing within.
The roundtable was recorded on 12 November at the Hub Culture and will include the participation of the indigenous delegates of the Sacred Basins delegation and COICA at COP27 in Egypt.
Organized by Amazon Sacred Headwaters, an alliance made up of 30 indigenous organizations from Ecuador and Peru, as well as international non-governmental organizations.
About the panelists:
Domingo Paes is a leader of the Achuar community of Ecuador. Domingo is currently the territory coordinator for the Amazon Sacred Watershed Initiative. He served as Director of Communications for the Achuar Indigenous Nation of Ecuador (NAE) from 2000 to 2003. He is also the founder of the Achuar indigenous community of Sharamentsa, and served as Vice President of CONFENIAE from 1993 to 1996. He also served as vice-president and then president of CODENPE (Council of Nationalities and Peoples of Ecuador) and as legal representative of the German Indian-HILFE Foundation.
Casey Box is the Director of Global Strategy at The Christensen Fund, a private foundation working to support Indigenous Peoples in advancing their inherent rights, dignity, and self-determination. He brings over a decade of experience with expertise in advocating for Indigenous rights, participatory grantmaking, network building, and environmental issues. Casey previously served as Executive Director for Land is Life, a global network of Indigenous-led programs addressing diverse issues including security, protecting the rights of people’s living in voluntary isolation, and free, prior, and informed consent. Casey has dedicated his career to supporting grassroots efforts to bolster operations and elevate Indigenous voices at the policy-making table.
Atossa Soltani is the director of Global Strategy for the Sacred Watershed Initiative, an alliance of 30 indigenous nations in Ecuador and Peru working to permanently protect 86 million acres of rainforest in one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth. She is also the founder and board chair of Amazon Watch and served as the organization's first executive director for 18 years.  In response to the 2019 Amazon fires, Atossa helped co-found "Artists for the Amazon" to catalyze global action on behalf of the Amazon. In recognition of her lifelong work as a rainforest and indigenous rights advocate, Atossa was named a 2013 Hillary Institute Global Laureate for Climate Leadership. Atossa is also a member and contributing author of the Amazon Science Panel.
Torbjørn Grefsen is the Head of the Policy Rainforest Foundation Norway. Former International Director of the Norwegian Red Cross, where he had been managing 60 employees in Norway and 130 international employees in 17 countries as well as a budget of NOK 1.4 billion.  Tørris Jæger has extensive experience in the humanitarian sector and in management and organizational development in an organization with a strong international presence.
For the full video recording of this episode please click here.
Para ver el video con subtitulos en español, haga click aqui.