Yesterday I went to the Indigenous tent for the first time for a session on the crisis of civilization, environmental collapse, post-development, and Buen Vivir. I have a bunch of notes that I might type and upload here if I get a chance, but I probably will not be doing a more formal report on it. I also have audio that I'm uploading (look for crisis_civ.mp3).



This morning I returned to the tent for the continuation of these discussions and the closing of the tent. I ran into Janeth, the director of communications at CONAIE, who took her place on the stage.

There were three topics on the agenda for the day:

1. Declarations from the Amazon, Andean region, and India
2. Discussion of October 12, 2009 mobilizations in defense of the Mother Earth
3. Holding a 2010 thematic social forum on the crisis of civilization

All passed with little discussion or dissent.



Later Janeth denounced the Correa administration in Ecuador for its recently passed mining law and extractive enterprises.



The session ended with everyone joining hands and then dancing around the floor of the tent. I'm uploading a youtube video right now.



So we went to eat and then it started to pour again, and when it let up for a bit I checked my email to find out that there was a press conference at 2pm. So, I'm at the press conference right now, waiting for it to start (half an hour late). A bit later this afternoon is the closing session of the forum (I hope it does not rain there). I'm short on time & sleep & internet access, but I'm desperately trying to pull ideas together for FSRN and UDW reports. Yesterday it cooled down, which was nice, but today it is hot again and my heat migraine is coming back. oh well.