"I am a young Xipai Indigenous man, and have lived my entire life in a village in the middle of the largest tropical forest on the planet, the Amazon. As an Indigenous man, I know very well the pain of the forest, because its body is an extension of ours. When I speak of the body of the forest, it is neither this nor that; it is everything."
"The United Nations tells me I am the first Indigenous journalist to exclusively interview Guterres. I understand how symbolic and powerful this is; the UN chief was willing to listen to and answer questions from an Indigenous person a few days before the largest climate conference on the planet, Cop30, which will take place in Belem. This is powerful, but I couldn't help but wonder:"
A Xipai Indigenous man interviewed United Nations Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres days before COP30 in Belém. Preparations included careful technical setup to avoid interruptions. The speaker describes a profound bond with the Amazon, calling the forest's body an extension of Indigenous bodies and naming trees, ground, rivers, and people as interconnected. The interview represents a rare moment of direct access to global leadership and carries symbolic power. The speaker questions whether such listening will extend beyond a brief interview and calls for sustained time and attention to protect the forest and Indigenous peoples.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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