Nemonte Nenquimo is an indigenous Waorani woman who has committed herself to defending her ancestral territory, ecosystem, culture, economy, and way of life. For thousands of years, the Amazon rainforest has provided food, water and spiritual connection for not only its Indigenous inhabitants, but the rest of the world. But the endless extraction of its natural resources by oil companies is catastrophically destroying the environment, and the lives of those who call it home.

A special event at The Conduit in conversation with Nemonte. As a member of the Waorani Nation from the Amazonian Region of Ecuador, Nemonte is the first female president of the Waorani of Pastaza and the recipient of the Goldman Environmental prize. She will share her stories and insights of the destruction of the world’s largest tropical rainforest and lead us towards action that takes better care of Mother Nature.

This event is in partnership with Earthrise and Flourishing Diversity.

Flourishing Diversity seeks to amplify the voices of those individuals and communities rooted in the wisdom of their interconnection with the land, waters, forests and fellow species. By bringing alternative life ways to the hearts and minds of wider audiences, we aim to contribute to a deeper shift in those cultures driving ecocide and to garner greater respect and support towards Indigenous and local communities whose practices uphold biodiversity and planetary health.
Earthrise is a multi-media storytelling studio focused on climate and culture. We tell stories for a new world. Radical stories of hope, of new possibility: stories from the future that help us navigate the now.

Speakers:

Nemonte Nenquimo is an Indigenous Waorani leader committed to defending her ancestral territory and her people’s survival in the Amazon rainforest. Raised in the traditional community of Nemonpare in the Pastaza region of the Ecuadorian Amazon, Nenquimo co-founded the Indigenous-led nonprofit organization Ceibo Alliance in 2014 to protect Indigenous lands and livelihoods from resource extraction alongside its sister organization, Amazon Frontlines. In 2018, she was elected the first female president of OWAP, the Waorani organization of Pastaza province. Nemonte led her people to a historic legal victory against the Ecuadorian government, which protected half-a-million acres of primary rainforest in the Amazon from oil drilling and set a precedent for Indigenous rights across the region. Today, Nemonte is fighting to ensure the safety of her people amid the dual threats of COVID-19 and the ongoing ecological crisis in the Amazon. Nemonte is winner of the 2020 Goldman Environmental Prize for Central and South America and the United Nations’ Champions of the Earth Award. She was also named to the BBC’s 100 Women of 2020 and TIME 100 list of the most influential people in the world.

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