Rainforest Foundation hosts Congo rainforest evening
Date: 05/12/2007
The Rainforest Foundation UK invites you to an evening to celebrate the second largest rainforest on the planet - the Congo rainforest -- on Thursday 13 December at University College of London (UCL).
Come and meet representatives from our partner organisations in the Congo who are working to safeguard the last great rainforest frontier before it’s too late. Find out how local forest peoples’ organisations successfully took on the World Bank in the quest to save their rainforest homes. Discover how a simple global positioning unit (GPS) can become the world’s most powerful anti-logging device in the hands of forest peoples.
Special guests flying in from the Democratic Republic of Congo are:
Willy Loyombo of the Congolese organisation OSAPY who will provide a first-hand account of how forest peoples’ organisations successfully challenged World Bank activities in the rainforests they inhabit. Following a complaint from local groups including OSAPY, the World Bank’s independent Inspection Panel issued a damning report revealing grave violations in the Bank’s interventions in DRC.
Theo Gato from the non-governmental organisation CENADEP who will explain how forest communities are literally “getting themselves on the map” by creating accurate, geo-referenced maps that allow them to lobby for land rights. Using GPS units, they are plotting their rainforest lands and presenting the results to government officials.
Phil Burnham, Professor and Head of the UCL Social Anthropology Section, will chair the discussions which begin at 6 p.m. In more than 20 visits to West and Central Africa, he has undertaken fieldwork and research in areas including forest peoples, the impact of logging companies and rainforest conservation.
Entry is free by reservation. Email Kate Tomlinson at katet@rainforestuk.com to reserve your place. You can invite up to two other guests. Wine and nibbles will be served; and you can enter a prize draw to win rainforest goodies.
When:
Thursday 13 December
5.30 to 8 p.m.
Where:
Department of Anthropology
Common Room
University College of London
14 Taviton Street
London WC1H 0BW
Directions to UCL
Closest tube stations:
Euston, Goodge Street, Russell Square
Come and meet representatives from our partner organisations in the Congo who are working to safeguard the last great rainforest frontier before it’s too late. Find out how local forest peoples’ organisations successfully took on the World Bank in the quest to save their rainforest homes. Discover how a simple global positioning unit (GPS) can become the world’s most powerful anti-logging device in the hands of forest peoples.
Special guests flying in from the Democratic Republic of Congo are:
Willy Loyombo of the Congolese organisation OSAPY who will provide a first-hand account of how forest peoples’ organisations successfully challenged World Bank activities in the rainforests they inhabit. Following a complaint from local groups including OSAPY, the World Bank’s independent Inspection Panel issued a damning report revealing grave violations in the Bank’s interventions in DRC.
Theo Gato from the non-governmental organisation CENADEP who will explain how forest communities are literally “getting themselves on the map” by creating accurate, geo-referenced maps that allow them to lobby for land rights. Using GPS units, they are plotting their rainforest lands and presenting the results to government officials.
Phil Burnham, Professor and Head of the UCL Social Anthropology Section, will chair the discussions which begin at 6 p.m. In more than 20 visits to West and Central Africa, he has undertaken fieldwork and research in areas including forest peoples, the impact of logging companies and rainforest conservation.
Entry is free by reservation. Email Kate Tomlinson at katet@rainforestuk.com to reserve your place. You can invite up to two other guests. Wine and nibbles will be served; and you can enter a prize draw to win rainforest goodies.
When:
Thursday 13 December
5.30 to 8 p.m.
Where:
Department of Anthropology
Common Room
University College of London
14 Taviton Street
London WC1H 0BW
Directions to UCL
Closest tube stations:
Euston, Goodge Street, Russell Square
