Ultimately, the Olawatawa Centre aims to become a reference for the promotion of indigenous knowledge and the conservation of the Amazon rainforest, while strengthening the resilience of the Paiter Surui people.
For over 20 years, the Aquaverde association has been working to protect the Amazon rainforest. It supports projects that combine reforestation with sustainable development, offering indigenous populations economic and social alternatives to the destruction of the forest.
Founded in 2016, the Olawatawa Centre is an initiative by the Paiter Surui indigenous people, located on the Sete de Setembro Indigenous Land in the Brazilian Amazon. Faced with deforestation, economic pressures and the gradual loss of ancestral knowledge, this centre is dedicated to preserving, passing on and promoting traditional knowledge of medicinal plants.
The project consists of several pillars:
- Forest conservation and restoration: reforestation of degraded areas in the Paiter Surui territory, with over 20,000 trees already planted, including local fruit and medicinal species.
- Promoting traditional medicine: organising healing ceremonies using medicinal plants and the knowledge of elders, based on respect for nature.
- Promoting craftsmanship: showcasing hand-crafted creations to generate sustainable income, using materials responsibly sourced from the forest.
- Raising awareness of nature: developing activities for tourists to introduce visitors to indigenous culture and highlight the importance of nature and traditional knowledge for humanity.
The Audemars Piguet Foundation for Trees will contribute to the construction of essential new infrastructures: accommodation, a training room, a laboratory and medicinal gardens. Ultimately, the Olawatawa Centre aims to become a reference for the promotion of indigenous knowledge and the conservation of the Amazon rainforest, while strengthening the resilience of the Paiter Surui people.
