This year, Andrea Builes Velez and Luther vom Eigen traveled to Cali, Columbia for COP16.
UN Conferences are so special. Not only because the seminars and meetings are full of incredible content, but because they bring together a vastly diverse coalition of politicians, business people, artists, nonprofits, indigenous leaders, and so many more.
For us, 2024 was even more special as we were in such close proximity to the tropical rainforests and mountains around Cali, Colombia.
The highlight of our trip was certainly getting the privilege of meeting these inspiring indigenous leaders in person. Left, photo with Milton Kasak Callera, director of COBNAEP NUTSAICH, who is defending the ancestral land of the Achaur in Ecuador and Peru from pollutions and threats to deforestation. On the right we were with Nemo Guiguita, a powerful leading voice of the Waorani Women and activist for women’s rights and our planet.
The host city, Cali, Colombia, did such a wonderful job incorporating the Green Zone into a park at the center of the city with beautiful installations, diverse vendors, and events happening in the surrounding offices the entire two weeks. It was clearly visible that the public was excited to participate and proud to be hosting this UN conference in their city.
In the Blue Zone, we attended very large and official events listening to leaders on biodiversity and in governments.
And we also attended smaller events in pavilions, with amazingly creative installations reminding us that we are all connected to nature. This was photograph was taking in the Latin American and Caribbean Pavilion.
We learned about the powerful collaboration people are carrying out in collaboration with indigenous and local communities.
And we heard from experts focused on convening global actors, such as the Global Landscapes Forum that put on a series of events one day at the beautiful museum, Museo La Tertulia, in the city.
We celebrated indigenous leaders' achievements empowering women locally and nationally.
The blue and red lighted tower sculpture is titled, The Biodiversity Game, by Benjamin Jon Wong, who we had the opportunity to meet while taking in his thought-provoking artwork.
While fundraising continues to be a challenge for biodiversity work across the space from everyone we talk to, and while countries were not able to pledge the amount of money required to tackle these challenges during these two week, we still must celebrate how many people came from so many places and placed their feet on common ground to work towards solutions, stop for a bite to eat, meet new people who care deeply about the same global problems before hustling off to next engaging and insightful panel or meeting. It’s always a bit sad when it’s finally over, but we look forward to continuing our conversations in the weeks ahead, building a future where heedless deforestation of tropical rainforests finally comes to rest.
Thank you to all the people doing amazing work for biodiversity! We had so many exciting conversations, but there is still so much to be done for biodiversity and rainforests. Contact Us if you’d like to get more information about our work or want to know more about our plans for 2025. It was an absolute pleasure to be amongst everyone here and in Colombia and we hope to see everyone again at the next one.
