Protect the Amazon Rainforest and its Guardians

As we wrap up 2021 with this update for all our supporters, we want to begin with a quick summary of the Vale do Javari region for our new donors to provide more context to this unique region of the world.

Spanning more than 85,000 square km (an area the size of Portugal), the Vale do Javari is home to 7,000 Indigenous People, including the largest population of uncontacted people in the entire Amazon and some say the world (estimated at approximately 2,000 individuals).

Not only is the Javari an area of tremendous environmental value, but it is also of incomparable cultural importance. To this point, Science Magazine and The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently stated that the region is “one of the irreplaceable areas of our planet” because of its exceptional value in terms of biodiversity.

Céline Cousteau’s impact film “Tribes on the Edge” was the catalyst for the creation of The Javari Project and we’re delighted to share that on Tuesday December 7^th, the film will be available for rent and viewing in the United Kingdom on Bohemia Euphoria, “a film and livestream platform and integrated social community, dedicated to amplifying the voices and stories of under-represented people.”

For our UK network, more information on renting and viewing the film is available by clicking here.

Since our last update The Javari Project has completed all the paperwork and processes and is now a registered international non-profit organisation, co-founded by Celine Cousteau and Tadzio MacGregor, with the objective to continue and expand the work initiated by Tribes on the Edge.

The formalised mission of The Javari Project is to “understand and identify the current threats to the environmental and cultural assets of the Vale do Javari and implement the best methods to support the preservation of the region’s cultural and environmental value.”

The Javari Project team will continue to work closely with the Indigenous leadership of the Vale do Javari to support their request for help, seeking collaboration and existing initiatives to ensure a long-lasting impact. With the Indigenous leaderships’ guidance and sign-off the three pillars, introduced in an earlier report, were further fine tuned:

Pillar One is safeguarding indigenous and ecological health which has several clearly defined objectives including deployment of medical assistance to villages in greatest needs.

Pillar Two is dedicated to raising awareness and understanding for this environmentally fragile region.

Pillar Three focuses on cultural preservation through support of the existing Vale do Javari community center in the town of Atalaia-do-Norte, with cultural, educational, and capacity building workshops plus an outreach program for those unable to visit the centre. In addition, a survey will be undertaken with local and international anthropologists, linguists, and others to create a snapshot of the diverse Javari culture and languages to reinforce local identity.

While the current pandemic created barriers throughout this year to safely enter this region, 2022 will be defined by a ramp up of work under the three pillars. 

On behalf of The Javari Project and Business for Better Society, I want to end this update with our thanks for the generous support we've received to launch The Javari Project. Under the leadership of the Indigenous tribes, Ms. Cousteau, and Mr. MacGregor we look forward to sharing with all of you the initiatives underway in 2022 under the three pillars.

As we approach the end of the year, we send our best wishes to all of you for a new year that is filled with peace, joy and health.