Excerpt from our 2005 ANNUAL REPORT:

Friends,

Fourteen years ago Land is Life was born in a small, forested valley in Brazil, in a village called Kari-Oca. Indigenous leaders from around the world had gathered there to contemplate the state of the world, to share stories and to see if we could encourage the leaders of the world’s governments, who were meeting in Rio de Janeiro for the Earth Summit, to take action to address the social and ecological crises that humanity is facing.

Since its founding, Land is Life has become an important part of the international struggle for indigenous peoples’ rights. Communities and organizations around the world - from the heart of the Amazon, to the plains and forests of Africa, to the islands of the Pacific – depend on the strategic, financial and moral support that Land is Life provides. Demand for our workshops and services is growing, and daily we receive requests for assistance from indigenous communities from across the globe. What began as an informal coalition is growing into a global movement. At this year’s meeting of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, Land is Life was represented by over 20 indigenous leaders from five continents and the Pacific Islands.

We, Land is Life, hold as our mission the international recognition of indigenous peoples rights. Our goals are lofty but our work is practical. We are confronting serious problems, and we are doing so in ways that are innovative and effective. By strengthening indigenous participation in international policy-making processes, providing small grants to indigenous organizations, conducting capacity building workshops, coordinating strategic campaigns and promoting dialogue between indigenous peoples and governments, corporations and NGO’s, we are doing our small part to help create a world that is more peaceful, just and sustainable.

In 2005 our efforts continued to make a difference. This report highlights some of our activities and accomplishments. Those who support Land is Life should be proud. Together, we have created an organization that is opening new doors to justice for indigenous peoples, and ushering in a new era for indigenous peoples’ rights. Together, we are helping humanity to awaken, so that we can learn, once again, how to live in a way that is responsible to future generations.

Now, a new year has begun. A year full of challenges and responsibilities. Our commitment, based on a tradition of love for the Earth and respect for human diversity, is stronger than ever. We hope that each of you will continue to support our work, and we invite you to contribute your ideas about how we can be still more effective.

We Walk to the Future in the Footprints of Our Ancestors
Marcos Terena (Xane – Brazil)
Viktor Kaisiepo (Biak – West Papua)
Marcelino Diaz de Jesus (Nahua – Mexico)
Brian Keane (Land is Life Director)