Flourishing Diversity
Members of the Ashaninka at the Flourishing Diversity Summit, London, 2019
Flourishing Diversity grew out of the seed of an idea planted in conversations between Synchronicity Earth co-founder, Jessica Sweidan, and Dr Jerome Lewis, Reader in Social Anthropology, Co-Founder of ExCites and CAOS at University College London.
The organisation works to strengthen existing and emerging restorative cultures by supporting people to protect and deeply connect with the land on which they dwell and the multi-species communities they share these spaces with.
The events they produce, the narratives they amplify and the relationships they nurture seek to grow our capacities to nourish our living places and in turn be nourished by them.
“For us, we don’t separate anything from nature, we believe that everything is nature. Everything that breathes, that is alive, the land, or elements, is part of nature and a part of us. We are one and in that sense, we maintain our belief as Guarani people, as Indigenous Peoples, that we must continue to fight for our land, our territory, and for our nature.”
– Kerexu Yxapyry, Mbya Guarani Indigenous leader and Executive Coordinator of the Guarani Yvyrupa Commission
Why
The Indigenous writer and activist Pat McCabe says, “humanity has a self-esteem problem”. The global ecological crisis has convinced many people that humans are incompatible with a thriving living world. However, throughout history, communities around the planet have existed and continue to exist in reciprocal relationship with their living places. This coevolution has created a living tapestry of diverse cultures entwined with their ecosystems.
Today, globalisation, neocolonialism and unregulated capitalism are driving the further erasure and suppression of this diversity of cultures. Language loss is an indicator of this. Every fortnight, the final words of an ancient tongue are spoken and a language disappears, carrying with it generations of collective wisdom and knowledge of how to care for and be part of a place. Cultural diversity and biodiversity are entwined; when we lose cultures connected to place, biodiversity follows. This weakens our collective capacity to care for the Earth.
By embracing and upholding diversity of all forms, we can turn the tide on the global ecological crisis. By strengthening both our own cultural connections to place and those around the world, collectively we can weave a rich tapestry of cultures that enables our diverse living places and the planet to thrive.
Flourishing Diversity amplifies the voices of individuals and communities rooted in the wisdom of their interconnection with the lands, waters, forests and fellow species. For example, this short video featuring young climate justice activist Xiye Bastida is part of the Flourishing Diversity Listening Series.
Visit https://flourishingdiversity.com/exploration/ to watch, listen to and read more.
