On Monday, 25 September, Impact One, together with Yawanawa Chief Isku Kua and Indigenous activist Mariana Maia, attended the Indigenous Voices Breakfast at the Garden at Annabel's in London. The event marked the culmination of the fourth annual Annabel's for Amazon, a month-long fundraising campaign which raises vital funds for The Caring Family Foundation efforts in Brazil's rainforest.
During the breakfast, a discussion moderated by climate and social justice campaigner Alice Aedy, alongside Minister of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil Sônia Guajajara and Brazilian environmental activist Txai Suruí, brought together passionate voices in the fight against climate change. The discussion exposed the issues facing indigenous people in the Amazon.
On view at Annabel’s Garden during the breakfast, and as part of this year’s campaign, was the NFT Winds of Yawanawa, recently acquired by Richard and Patricia Caring for their private collection. The first-of-its-kind co-creation between new media artist Refik Anadol and the Yawanawá community was commissioned by Impact One, as part of the Possible Futures programme. The work harnesses real-time weather data sourced from the sacred Yawanawá village of Aldeia Sagrada in the Brazilian state of Acre, and is based on the traditional paintings of young Yawanawá artists Nawashahu and Mukashahu. The Yawanawa community neighbours several communities supported by the ongoing works of The Caring Family Foundation in the state of Acre, Brazil.
The event highlighted the pressing challenges faced by indigenous communities in the Amazon, emphasising the critical importance of collective efforts in protecting their rights and preserving the rainforest. It underscored the tangible impact that collaborative initiatives, like the Annabel's for Amazon campaign and the co-created artwork Winds of Yawanawá, can have on promoting sustainability and supporting vital conservation efforts in the region.