“I need you” to save the forest, proclaims the indigenous chief Raoni in Paris

Raoni is over 90 years old but he still gallops with impressive liveliness. In his eyes, read all the strength of the trees of the jungle and when he speaks, it is as if each of his words was able to make the objects and those around him tremble. Raoni is there with his life’s mission and his anger intact. “I am Chief Raoni. I am the greatest guardian of the Amazon rainforest and of the world”explains the famous indigenous chief during a stopover in Paris, at the beginning of June, as part of his crusade to save the Amazon rainforest.

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Raoni is easily recognizable with its wooden tray as a lower lip. He tirelessly continues to travel the planet to save his world. Honorary President of the Virgin Forest Association, this year he is taking part in his ninth global campaign. For him, it is always a question of raising awareness of the dangers that threaten his Brazilian territory but also, in general, the balance of the planet. During this Parisian stage, chef Raoni will be received, Sunday, June 4, by Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée.

“I don’t want gold diggers on my land. I don’t want smugglers and wood looters on my land. I don’t want invaders coming to build roads on my land or dams on my rivers. I am Chief Raoni and I need you”claims Raoni.

The Jair Bolsonaro threat still weighs

The native leader is tireless but lucid, especially when he talks about the state of his primary forest, the dangers and the enemies that await it, starting with Jair Bolsonaro who continues to work for its destruction. “All the land on my reserve is under threatassures Raoni. The forest is threatened with extinction and it was worse with Jair Bolsonaro, our former president. He was the one who sped things up. He has always hated the indigenous peoples and he encourages parliamentarians to pass laws against the indigenous people”.

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Among the last two laws voted with the Brazilian right in Parliament, at the end of May, there is one which plans to reduce the surface of the lands of the natives and another which would abolish the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples. It is therefore important for Raoni to mobilize and raise funds to try to save his forest which is also one of the lungs of the planet.