THE WORLD WE LIVE IN RUNAPA KAWSANA ALLPAN
Art for Change for the Amazon Rainforest
About Love & Resiliance
This is a project of collaboration and dedication to form a better tomorrow for our next generations. Our attention is on the Peruvian Amazon, a living and essential ecosystem for the global climate balance and home and source of life for the traditional and indigenous people. Never has the forest degradation and disturbance been more critical as today and human beings continue destroying the ecosystem and the species and cultures that we depend on, leaving us also at a higher risk of pandemics.
The good news is that we have this moment to act.
Our vision in THE WORLD WE LIVE IN / RUNAPA KAWSANA ALLPAN - is to show an alternative way of living a healthy life, and our means to do so is through communication and education of our children and adults in Peru and Europe. We cannot separate humans from nature – as well as we cannot separate nature from humans. We have an interconnected relationship, however, what we can change or influence is the relation of nature. Focus is not only on preservation but more on creating resilient people.
We believe the inclusion of people’s voices are essential and we, therefore, collaborate with various indigenous peoples groups, organisations, researcher, scientists, and artists.
We use different forms of Arts to combine ancient wisdom with modern knowledge, as it not only gives hope, friendship beyond borders, and understanding- it gives a possibility for learning and feeling connected while valuing and incorporating our ancestors' knowledge into our modern context.
We wish to enable transformation and education about life in the ecosystems, both in the Amazon Rainforest and in Europe, to maintain the biodiversity, cultures, and languages, and thereby the existence of a healthy life, and is motivated to make our material to educational material for schools.
We are part of the movement that uses Arts to encourage pro-environmental and cultural behavior and every year we aim to include more artists and indigenous groups in our team and capacity development activities.
The name of our project comes from the Cosmovision/world perspective of the indigenous peoples Kichwa in the Amazonian Rainforest.
RUNAPA = People
KAWSANA = Live
ALLPAN = Earth
Meet the Team
Behind each of our team members lies a supportive family and a connected community, and our project's success relies on the unwavering backing of these individuals. In essence, we refer to our team as the 'extended family'.
Joel Vasquez
RESEARCH SCIENTIST & ENTOMOLOGIST
Joel and his team are our resident experts on butterflies. They are here to impart their extensive scientific knowledge regarding Amazonian butterflies and their vital role in the ecosystem. Joel hails from the Institute of Investigations in the Peruvian Amazon, bringing a wealth of expertise to our project.
Maria Tauber Wiese
FOUNDER, HEALER &
STORYTELLER
Maria is the driving creative force behind the project. A self-taught artist and certified healer, she excels at turning ideas into projects within her Amazonian community. She forges cross-border connections, fostering friendships and strong ties with ecosystems. Her dedication to the Amazon and Peru spans over eight years.
Julie Sichlau
YOGA INSTRUCTOR &
FACILITATOR
Julie shares her profound wisdom on the art of conveying spirituality and fostering inner serenity. As a dedicated yoga instructor and the visionary behind Art of Heart Yoga, she also plays a pivotal role as our accomplished co-creator and workshop facilitator.
Rolin Coquinche Coquinche
ARTIST
Rolin, a member of the indigenous Kichwa community, brings his global perspective to shape and enhance the project. As a natural paint artist, educator, advocate, and a featured presenter in exhibitions, workshops, and on television, he plays a multifaceted role in our endeavors.
Jhonathan Curi Doñez
ARTIST
Jhonathan is one of our principal Amazonian artists and painters, hailing from the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, where he honed his skills and techniques. He showcases his artwork and shares his profound insights not only within the project but also in various exhibitions and presentations.
Maria Veronica Amasifuen Aro
FACILITATOR
Maria imparts her ancestral knowledge from the Amazon as a children's facilitator, focusing on the use of natural paints and the promotion of native seeds and sustainable food production. Hailing from the Kichwa indigenous group in Peru, she brings a unique cultural perspective to her work.
Advisors
Sara Adlerstein Gonzalez
Research Scientist and artist, University of Michigan, US
Liliam Hidalgo Collazps
Association of educational publications, TAREA, Peru
Casilda Pinche Sánchez
ARTIST, HEALER & AMAZONIAN
ETHNOBOTANY EXPERT
Casilda, is an internationally recognized Amazonian visionary artist and founder of PURAWA School of Arts, a non-profit school focusing on art and traditional medicine, with a mission to preserve culture and the environment. She collaborates with our project with her unique skills to use art disciplines for healing therapy and to defend the Amazonian territory.
Ofelia Gomez Meder
HEALER & AMAZONIAN ETHNOBOTANY EXPERT
Ofelia, a native of the Amazon, is blessed with unique skills and profound wisdom in the fields of healing, plant medicine, and traditional knowledge. She employs her expertise to convey the remarkable properties of healing plants and foster a deeper understanding of the human connection to nature.
Teresa Conde
DANCER & WORKSHOP
FACILITATOR
Teresa serves as the co-creator and dancer in our children's workshop, skillfully bridging young minds with rich cultural narratives. With over 25 years of experience in teaching dance to children, youth, and adults worldwide, she, alongside Mauro, constitutes the renowned duo known as "Speriences."
Mauro D. Miranda
MUSICIAN & WORKSHOP
FACILITATOR
Mauro, hailing from the Quechua indigenous community is our musician and storyteller for the children's workshop. With a distinguished 30-year career in traditional Peruvian music as a composer, he brings his wealth of musical experience to our project. Mauro is also a vital part of the dynamic duo "Speriences," along with Teresa.
Rosa Aro Ashanga
ARTIST, HEALER & AMAZONIAN ETHNOBOTANY EXPERT
Rosa is a vital contributor to the project, enriching it with her profound ancestral wisdom from the Amazon. Hailing from the Kichwa community, she is an authority on plant medicine and possesses a deep understanding of the forest's invaluable wisdom
Our Collaborators
