Global Exchange recently attending a gathering of Indigenous leaders for a strategy session on the Rights of Mother Earth hosted by ally organization the Pachamama Alliance. During the day-long meeting, the gathered tribes discussed bringing the United Nations Declaration on Mother Earth to their members, and the possibility of endorsing this resolution. We were honored to have taken part in this groundbreaking process. Community-based organizing and the Rights of Nature represent a new direction for both democracy-building efforts and environmental protection, and we couldn’t be happier about the growth of the movement.
Recently, we met with IEN’s Tom Goldtooth and other native and non-native communities along the tar sands route about possible collaboration around Tar Sands Pipeline. The collaboration would explore the potential for a Rights of Nature movement in partnership with Indigenous Nations and communities to stop the Keystone pipeline by creating local bases of power along the route, mobilizing messaging and tactics from a coordinated rights-based framework.
Please take a few moments to watch this video interview of Michael Horse and his wife, Pennie Opal Plant. A true modern day renaissance man, Michael Horse is a famous Native American jeweler, actor, stunt man, sculptor, painter and activist. Hear Pennie and Michael discuss the importance of a rights based approach. <<VIDEO LINK HERE>>