Press Release 1 November 2003

Bermuda Supports the North Rupununi Wildlife Clubs

Terrence Brasche of Annai Village and Susan Williams of St. Ignatius Village returned from a six-day visit to Bermuda on 22 October 2003. Terrence and Susan in the Education and Environmental Expo "We are the World" that was facilitated by the Eden Project and Education Ministry of Bermuda.

Guyana's two ambassadors were invited and funded by the Eden Project, through the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and Iwokrama International Centre. During their visit, they had the privilege of meeting with the Premier (Head of Government), the Minister of Education and the Minister of Environment. They also visited six primary and secondary schools, and held discussions on environmental issues with children of different age groups.

Terrence show cased indigenous culture and environmental change and described the challenges faced by Amerindian peoples. Terrence focused on describing Guyana's environmental clubs and in particular how they are contributing to sustainable resource management in the North Rupununi. Terrence talked about the annual wildlife festival, the citizen science monitoring programmes and school yard ecology. As a consequence, the Eden Project has donated US$500 which will go toward the next festival in Annai in March 2004.

Terrence and Susan were the only indigenous people from South America at the Bermuda meeting.