Sitting and relaxing in the beautiful Cancun sun after three very intense, but enjoyable days. We planned, prepared and participated in the Opening Ceremony of the Global Wopida, Saturday, December 10. We awakened this morning at 2:40 AM PST to go to the Global Canoe Ceremony hosted by the Alianza Mesoamericana de Pueblos y Bosques, the Mesoamerican Alliance of the Peoples of the Forests!
The action this morning was to protect Mangroves that are being destroyed to make room for more 5 Star Hotels in Cancun. This is the third Global Canoe Ceremony I had the honor and privilege to participate. The first was a year ago last December at COP 21 in Paris, France. The second was on Mother Earth Day, April 22 in New York City, where we first signed the International Treaty to Protect and Restore Mother Earth and the third, today!
In the morning I leave for Panama City for meetings. Then I travel into the mountains to the Ngäbe Buglé Comarca to meet with the Coordinadora de Mujeres, the National Coordinating Body of 120,000 Ngabe Bugle Women. TheIr Council of Indigenous Women is elected at a General Council of 7000 representatives of Ngäbe Bugle Women.
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The Ngäbe Bugle Coordinadora de Mujeres are hosting the 2nd Intergenerational Indigenous Women's Summit of Panama, December 15-17. We are working together developing a culturally-based, Indigenous-led Empowerment Program for Indigenous young people and women.
