Since the year 2000, every July 26th has become an annual global commemorative day for the mangroves. This year's theme is entitled "On Behalf of Indigenous and Traditional Communities and Food Sovereignty."
In reference to this year's campaign, the Latin American Mangrove Network, Redmanglar International states that International Mangrove Action Day “proclaims a call for the rights of the indigenous and traditional communities of the mangrove ecosystem based on the recognition of our territory where we build our culture, our identity and the base for our food sovereignty.”
Redmanglar explains that “The indigenous and traditional mangrove communities of Latin America, have millenary lived, in a vital way, related to the ecosystem. In this space we put dreams; we find our past, our present and future. Here we live together with our grandfathers and grandmothers, with our sons and daughters, with our brothers and sisters from all the Americas and the world. Here we stand up together for our territory, for our food, for our work, for our dignity.
This 26th of July we wish that the whole world hear our voices-- the voices of the indigenous and traditional communities of the mangrove ecosystem. We hope that these voices reach all of our societies, the indolent authorities, the depredator enterprises. We desire that we can hear each other-- all the voices of the South-- and that we continue walking together on behalf of our ideals.”
Article based on information from: “On Behalf of Indigenous and Traditional Communities and Food Sovereignty!, July 26th - International Mangrove Action Day”, by Lider Gongora Farias, President C-CONDEM, Executive Secretary Redmanglar International; http://redmanglar.org/redmanglar.php?c=635
Alfredo Quarto, Executive Director, Mangrove Action Project, mangroveap@olympus.net, http://www.mangroveactionproject.org