» Belizean campers celebrate local culture and environment

Amy Bracken (Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management – SATIIM): Amy is a long-time journalist with a passion for exploring the natural world, learning about different cultures, and sharing her craft. After graduating from Columbia University’s School of Journalism in 2003, Amy moved to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where she spent two years reporting for Reuters, the Associated Press and other outlets. She then split her time between Haiti and her hometown, Boston, where she worked as a freelance producer at the public radio program The World. She also spent a year in Valdez, Alaska, running the newsroom of a small radio station and reporting on ongoing effects and litigation relating to the 1989 Exxon-Valdez oil spill. At the time of her fellowship Amy was studying for a Masters degree at the Fletcher School, Tufts University. After her fellowship Amy wrote: “I learned a lot from being in a place so culturally different from anywhere I’ve ever been. I saw little racial tension, little class distinction, little materialism, but also major problems like lack of education and economic opportunities.”

19 Jul

Children from the Mayan village of San Pedro Columbia and the Garifuna village of Barranco came together for a week of activities relating to art and the environment. The camp is a collaboration between SATIIM (Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management), PACT (Protected Areas Conservation Trust), and CRC (Columbia River Cooperative).

The campers drew and painted, learned West African drum beats, toured an organic farm and botanical garden, visited ancient Mayan ruins, played soccer, and learned from SATIIM about the Sarstoon Temash National Park and the animals living there that could be affected by activities like oil drilling.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XGCcah0ydQ

Posted By Amy Bracken

Posted Jul 19th, 2011

iain
July 24, 2011

Nice, gentle film about a potentially violent assault on the forest. Makes me feel that there are important lessons to be learned from other successful mobilizations against oil. Also, could this approach be exported to other schools? How about lining up schools in the the US to adopt the S Temash forest and petition the government of Belize?

Belizean campers celebrate local culture and environment

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iain

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