The Amazon is increasingly at the center of countless global, national and, of course, regional debates. With COP 30 approaching next year in Belém do Pará, and the advancement of several environmental and climate problems, the region is increasingly attracting the attention of various social actors. To think about its present, plan and care for the future, without leaving aside its past, it is essential to observe the Amazonian reality(ies) and its people. In other words: its INÃs.
The term indigenous means person and also care for the other, without any kind of distinction. This is only possible based on the knowledge and experience of each person. It is no coincidence that INÃ is also the acronym for the Instituto Nova Amazônia, based in Bragança, northeastern Pará. Created in September 2017 by Patrícia Reis, PhD in Sociology and Anthropology from UFPA, and Ana Raquel Leite, an agroecologist from IFPA, the institute was born out of concern about the lack of technical and social support for the sustainable, economic and egalitarian development of traditional and at-risk communities in the region.

To bring about real change and promote and enforce the rights of these people, it is essential to “look at the Amazon as a living element, which is not available to simply serve us. We have to think of it as an element that is directly linked to our survival. INÃ represents our way of thinking and caring for the Amazon based on the people who live here and who live here, who know its problems and are already taking action with their solutions and knowledge”, explains Patrícia Reis, president of the institute.

INÃ, as a Civil Society Organization (CSO), is a living example of how commitment and dedication can transform lives. Since its founding, almost a decade ago, volunteers have been working tirelessly to promote positive changes, especially in Bragança and the Salgado region of Pará.

To this end, several actions and projects have been carried out, such as: support, appreciation and development of several actions with the Cooperative of Recyclable Material Collectors of Caetés (Coomarca), such as the Project to Strengthen Recyclable Material Collectors, approved in the “Sustainable Week 2023” (IDEC) public notice, which aimed to contribute to reducing the invisibility of collectors and empowering, mainly, the women who are at the forefront of this organization. and workshops and projects related to Basic Sanitation and ancestral techniques, in addition to the execution of activities with children with disabilities and the participation of women extractivists in debates on climate change supported by the Bem Maior Movement.

Certified as a Memory Spot in July 2023 by the Brazilian Institute of Museums (IBRAM), INÃ will also produce the documentary “Visibility of Black Women Collectors,” featuring stories of black women who are at the forefront of Coomarca, working to combat climate change. About artisanal fishermen and women, knowledge, and defense of the territory, there is a project to value women as protectors of the standing forest: Mulheres Artesãs da Vila Que Era and the defense of the Territory. Both projects reinforce and value the female figure as protagonists in the construction of a new Amazon.

This is precisely what sets INÃ apart from other civil society organizations: “we focus strongly on the valorization and protagonism of women as fundamental for environmental preservation and, of course, for the construction of a truly equitable society,” summarizes Patrícia.

FROM PEOPLE TO PEOPLE
As you can see, the institute, as a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), strictly follows its acronym, seeking to develop and strengthen actions for people from Bragança, the Salgado region and even Belém, resulting in more than 2,000 people directly impacted and, indirectly, around 5,000 people, also bringing together seminars and forums.

“In these actions, such as supporting recyclable material collectors, promoting recycling and waste reduction; consuming organic products and supporting family farming and encouraging conscious consumption, we seek to present and promote practices that can be carried out individually or collectively and that produce, as a result, the preservation of environmental resources”, explains Patrícia, highlighting how much grassroots actions can help with more complex and broad issues in the region.

However, this is not a simple process, after all, INÃ needs donations and fundraising through public notices. “We do not want to only act with specific actions, we want to ensure a continuity of actions that connect us to our institutional mission. Another challenge is to increase the impact of our actions on an audience that does not know us”, which can be expanded with donations and also through discussions and practical actions by other social actors during and after COP 30.

COLLABORATE!
In a region where social inequalities and environmental challenges intertwine The work of the institute is fundamental. Through strategic partnerships and innovative projects, INÃ has managed not only to protect and strengthen the idea of ??a New Amazon, but also to empower its communities, building a more sustainable and equitable future for all.

Currently, the institute receives financial donations of any amount through transfers to Banco Cora (Branch: 0001 and Current Account: 3001015-6) and also donations of books, school supplies, non-perishable food, clothing and toys, which can be arranged by calling (91) 98804-9033.

Source: RBA at COP