Bartolome de las Casas, an award specially for indigenous peoples

July 14, 2017

Photo: Leader of Peru’s Ashaninka indigenous people, Ruth Buendia, was handed over the Bartolome de las Casas Prize from the Government of Spain. ANDINA/Difusión

Granted already in 2014, King Felipe VI of Spain presented the 23rd Bartolome de las Casas Award on Tuesday 4 July to Ruth Buendia, for her leadership skills as chairwoman of the Central Ashaninka del Rio Ene (CARE), a local organization in Peru that gathers 17 indigenous communities and works to defend the rights of the Ashaninka people in the Ene River Valley.the award honors her significant contribution to human and sustainable development, as well as her environmental protection work. The jury acknowledged Buendia’s efforts to provide access to public health and education services across the communities. Also, she managed to stop the construction of the Patizipatango hydroelectric dam, which prevented arable lands of 10 communities from being flooded.

In 2014, Buendia received also the Goldman Environmental Prize, dubbed the Green Nobel Prize, which recognizes individuals for sustained and significant efforts to protect and enhance the natural environment, often at great personal risk. See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2016/09/01/violence-against-environmental-human-rights-defenders-one-of-the-worst-trends-in-recent-years/

The Bartolome de las Casas Award was also granted to Colombia‘s Fundacion Caminos de Identidad —FUCAI (Roads to Identity Foundation) for its constant work strengthening identity and autonomy of indigenous peoples in different fields: education, food sovereignty, family, childhood and youth.

Source: Peru’s indigenous leader receives Bartolome de las Casas Prize

http://www.vidimusdominum.org/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=483:the-bartolome-de-las-casas-award&catid=32:news-2011&Itemid=35

This entry was posted on July 14, 2017 at 16:52 and is filed under awards, human rights, Human Rights Defenders.

Tags: Bartolome de las Casas Prize, Central Ashaninka del Rio Ene (CARE), Colombia, environmental activists, Fundacion Caminos de Identidad —FUCAI, Goldman Environmental Award, human rights awards, indigenous groups, indigenous peoples, Peru, Ruth Buendia, Spain

Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Email Subscription

Recent Posts

Blogroll