‘Amazon Nobel Prize’: with Roberto Carlos’ participation, initiative puts Manaus back on the environmental front

Mencius Melo – Cenarium Magazine

MANAUS – The mayor of Manaus, David Almeida (Avante) announced in a press conference held on the afternoon of Tuesday, 14, at Casarão Cassina, in downtown Manaus, the realization of the 1st edition of the United Earth Amazon award, which aims to recognize the best of the Amazon and Brazil in the areas of art, music and initiatives of environmental responsibility and governance (ESG). The initiative is a kind of Nobel Prize of the Amazon and will take place on February 27th, at Amazonas Theater, with the presence of the singer Roberto Carlos.

The press conference was attended by Marcus Nobel, a descendant of Alfred Nobel, creator of the Nobel Prize. Not by chance, the “United Earth Amazonia” has the weight of an international award. On the occasion it was announced the participation of Brazilian singer Roberto Carlos, who will be one of the honorees at the award ceremony.

“Roberto Carlos is one of the honorees at the ceremony in the Amazonas Theater, but, it is not a concert,” explained David Almeida. “Which, of course, doesn’t prevent him from singing,” the mayor evaded.

Capital of the Amazon

In his speech, David Almeida highlighted that the award is an initiative to show the Amazon from what the Amazon has and from those who live in it.

“We are sure of the exponential size of this project, and having the name of the award tied to Manaus is a recognition and a strength that our fight for the preservation of the forest and the environment is paying off, after all, our development model means that we have 97% of the forest preserved, and this is good not only for Manaus, but for Brazil and for the world,” he highlighted.

David Almeida made a point of calling attention to what the “United Earth Amazonia” can bring to the capital of Amazonas. “This award brings a very big responsibility because we need to improve our structures even more and seek, through investments, to attract more of the world to the city of Manaus. The world needs to get to know our city and our region even more”, he declared.

Leading role

The manager also criticized the passive role that the inhabitants of the largest forest in the world are often submitted to. “Whenever we talk about the Amazon it’s always someone from outside, it’s the Amazon Fund from Germany, it’s I don’t know who else, but we need to discuss the Amazon with those who live in the Amazon because we are the protagonists, but we are playing the role of extras. So we need to bring this protagonism to those who live here”, observed David Almeida.

In the end, David highlighted that the world is clamoring for the preservation of the environment and the realization of the 1st edition of the event proves the importance of the work done by Manaus. “We have gained a worldwide visibility when the subject is preservation. We are the largest city in the Amazon and now we are also the largest preservers of the Amazon forest. And this award, this recognition, gives us a greater responsibility in relation to the environment”, he pointed out.

Institutions and projects

The United Earth Amazônia Award involves two institutions: United Earth and LCTM BrandBuilders, and will have the support of the Amazonas State Government and the Manaus City Hall. The honor recognizes initiatives for the defense of the preservation of the Amazon and of the native peoples of the region.

The six awarded projects were:

1: “Vaga Lume”, in the Educational area, developed to serve children from rural communities in the Amazon.

2: “Sataré Mawé”, an Eco-Ethnodevelopment project that seeks economic independence through the sustainable bio-economy of guaraná by the communities of the Amazon.

3: “Sakaguchi Agroforestry“, project for the improvement and dissemination of agroforestry generating social and economic development of the community of Japanese immigrants and the region.

4: “Braziliando”, project that developed integration between tourists and the traditional peoples of the Amazon through innovation in community-based tourism technology.

5: “Rede Mulheres do Maranhão”, project that promotes social and economic inclusion through the empowerment of women for entrepreneurship from the cultivation and by-products of babassu.

6: “Projeto Pamine – Renascer da Floresta”, developed by the Paiter Suruí indigenous community to give back to the forest what has been taken from it.