Equator Prize Ceremony to Honour Outstanding Initiatives of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities on September 17, Marks 15 Years of Equator Initiative

11 Sep 2017 - The Equator Prize Award Ceremony on September 17, 2017 will honour 15 outstanding indigenous and local community initiatives from 12 countries, advancing local nature-based solutions for sustainable development, in New York, coinciding with the 72nd Session of the UN General Assembly. This high-level event marks 15 years of UNDP’s Equator Initiative.

The award ceremony (http://www.equatorinitiative.org/ep2017/) will feature two representatives from each Prize-winning organization and music by Salif Keita, world renowned singer-songwriter from Mali. The other speakers at the event are:

Representatives from the 15 winning community initiatives
Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme
Gary Knell, president and CEO, National Geographic Society
Mary Robinson, President, Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice, former President of Ireland
Angel Gurria, Secretary General, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson, Global Environment Facility (GEF), former Deputy Vice Minister of Finance, Japan
Céline Cousteau, Founder and Executive Director, CauseCentric Productions
Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Vice president for Conservation Policy, Conservation International, former Minister of Environment and Energy, Republic of Costa Rica

The ceremony will discuss the global work being done to tackle poverty, environment degradation, and climate challenges and will highlight the innovative solutions of Equator Prize 2017 Winners, including:

Community Baboon Sanctuary Women's Conservation Group – CBSWG, Belize, which is improving local livelihoods while safeguarding vulnerable wildlife populations.
Associação Ashaninka do Rio Amônia Apiwtxa (Association of Ashaninka People of the Amônia River), Brazil, which is using participatory 3D mapping, advocacy, education, and cultural exchange to ensure healthy forests and communities.
Associação Terra Indígena Xingu – ATIX (Xingu Indigenous Land Association), Brazil, which is the first community-based organization to achieve organic certification in Brazil and produces two tons of certified organic honey each year.
Organización para la Defensa y Conservación Ecológica de Intag – DECOIN(Organization for the Defense and Ecological Conservation of Intag), Ecuador, which provides essential support to communities resisting mining interests, conserving over Andean biodiversity and advancing alternative livelihoods.
Alianza Internacional de Reforestación – AIRES (International Alliance for Reforestation), Guatemala, which is a network of community practitioners engaged in reforestation and agroforestry for food security, disaster risk reduction, and better incomes.
Federación Tribus Pech de Honduras – FETRIPH (Tribal Pech Federation of Honduras), Honduras, an access and benefit sharing project integrating sustainable liquidambar production and government-sanctioned indigenous land management.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog, India, which empowers women to act as agricultural decision-makers, improving their health, food security, and economic well-being.
Asosiasi Usaha Homestay Lokal Kabupaten Raja Ampat (Local Homestay Business Association of the Raja Ampat District), Indonesia, which has created a homestay web portal for sustainable jobs through ecotourism.
Yayasan Planet Indonesia (Planet Indonesia Foundation), Indonesia, which creates conservation compacts and community businesses that provide sustainable livelihoods, enhance local resilience, and protect intact native ecosystems.
Obschestvennyj Fond “Zhassyl Azyk” (Public Foundation “Zhassyl Azyk”), Kazakhstan, which utilizes sustainable alfalfa production to restore soil fertility, conserve water, and improve agricultural yields.
Mikoko Pamoja (Mangroves Together), Kenya, has pioneered carbon credit payments for mangrove restoration, and is reinvesting the profits into local community development.
The Kuruwitu Conservation & Welfare Association, Kenya, the first locally managed marine area in Kenya.
The Mali Elephant Project, Mali, promotes social cohesion, reduces violent extremism, and protects a critical population of the endangered African elephant.
Baltistan Wildlife Conservation and Development Organization – BWCDO, Pakistan, is protecting snow leopards through insurance schemes and financial compensation against livestock losses following snow leopard attacks.
Community Mangrove Forest Conservation of Baan Bang La, Thailand, has ensured long-term mangrove protection, increased populations of endangered species, strengthened disaster resilience, and generated opportunities for small-scale business.