The Rainforest Association France (AFV) is a non-profit association, founded in 1989 to help save the Amazon Rainforest and the Indian tribes who live there. The Rainforest Association Belgium (AFV) was also created in 1989 to achieve the same objectives. The two organizations are working together on the creation of the Raoni Institute.
The Birth of the Association
This initiative was instigated by Raoni, chief of the Kayapo tribe, several other Indian tribe chiefs and celebrities concerned about the massive deforestation in the Amazon, in order to create an organization which will represent and fight for their cause in Europe.
Its Work
In 1989, following Raoni's appeal, the sum of 3 million French francs was raised from about 10,000 donations. This and other funds raised across the globe by other Rainforest Associations enabled the boundaries of the present Kayapo reserve to be drawn and a health and education programme action plan to be implemented in the Xingu region.
AFV is currently dedicated to the implementation of the Raoni Institute project, the aim of which is to ensure the long term future of the largest protected area in the Amazon.
AFV organized Chief Raoni's European tour in May 2000 in order to publicize this project. This tour relaunched the campaign to save the tropical rainforests and enlisted the support of many including the French President, Mr. Jacques Chirac, and the French Minister for the Environment, Madame Dominique Voynet, who financed the feasibility study for the Rainforest Institute.
This study was carried out in the summer of 2000 and the report was ratified buy both the French and Brazilian governments . Armed with this report, the AFV s organized a second European tour for Raoni in June 2001 in order to obtain the necessary funding. for the rainforest institute. However, after the September 11, 2001 tragedy in New York and the election of President Bush, the relentless efforts of the AFV have brought little results., nobody cares, it seems. As a consequence, the Indians, icluding Chief Raoni have lost crucial support . The reservation, the largest in the Amazon, is plagued with corruption and devastated by unscrupulous loggers. The AFV is searching for new ways to continue to fight for the protection of the Xingu tribes and their beloved rainforests. Your support is crucial .
If not you, whom?
If not now, when?
Please Inquire
