NatDef meeting in Rio de Janeiro (9 March 2021)

The first four “Nature Defenders” of our network :  (from left to right)

• Shree Ram DANGAL (Nepalese)
  –> Administration and Support
• Eric LUCAS (Autistic, French)
  –> Founder of NatureDefenders.org and Autistan.org
  –> Specialist in Autism
• Josuel CROSA (Indigenous from the Wapishana People, Founder of Jaguar Amazon Tours)
  –> Specialist in the life in the rainforest
  –> Our Delegate to the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil and Guyana
• João Pedro SILVA PINTO (Founder of Arte Viva, Brazilian)
  –> Specialist in “live food”, raw food and many other subjects related to Nature and spirituality
  –> Our Advisor on these matters

Today, 9 March 2021, we met in João Pedro’s flat in Rio de Janeiro.
He is a specialist in questions related to Nature, and in particular about plants and “living food” (especially sprouted seeds).

Josuel recalled his journey as an indigenous person who came closer to civilisation, and the problems that are linked to this.

Eric briefly explained the principle of the “NatureDefenders.org” concept, based on the idea that what is “denaturalised” is usually “degraded” or perverted, and creates problems.
This can be about food, but also about much more abstract things, such as “bureaucracy”, which is unsuited to human nature: it is not up to humans to adapt to the systems they create to make their lives easier, but the contrary, obviously.
He reminded us why, in his view, the cause of “natives”, autistic people and people with Down’s syndrome is in fact the same, which leads him to the notion of “natural humans” (or “natural minorities”).

João Pedro confirmed that he fully agreed with this approach, and so did Josuel: having different life experiences and paths, we come to the same conclusion, and that is why we end up meeting, both intellectually and physically.

In this respect, João Pedro briefly recalled the “law of attraction”, which also explains the presence of Shree Ram in this team, as a “key person”, as are all four of us.

This is a very brief summary of our little meeting.
Things need to be developed and concretised through the Nature Defenders network (NatDef), and mainly by using the website NatureDefenders.org (shortcut: NatDef.org).

Below are two lists of important notes concerning concrete projects, beyond theories.

1/ Some quick notes about the goals of the NatureDefenders.org network:

Summary goal: Optimize the defense of naturalness, nature and life, relying on existing NGOs and volunteers

Some main ideas:
– Identify what corresponds to the goal, in each NGO, and leave the rest
– Advise NGOs
– Advise governments
– Advise natural peoples (in relation to NGOs and governments, for example to help them avoid being manipulated)
– Build a global network of volunteers

On the website:
– Directory of “Nature Defenders” (NGOs and individual Defenders – and perhaps state entities with a listing system with comments
(Note of 13/03/2021: This has now been implemented and improved.)
– For each entry, make an “Asana” field with a link to the projects dedicated to for that NGO or  other entity
(Note of 13/03/2021: This has now been implemented and improved.)

2/ Some quick notes about an important “nature reserve” project, which Eric has been thinking about for several years, and which also corresponds to an idea recently exposed by Josuel (who brought some “novelties”, like the idea of the return to the roots for the (too much) “civilized” natives).

Project of reservation(s) for natural minorities
– To protect indigenous people from corruption by civilization
– To help “civilized” indigenous people who want to go back to their roots
– To serve as a “refuge” for the autistic people and Down syndrome people (in the center of the area). (They don’t need “cures” or special centers nor to learn complicated things, and also this would prevent many suicides. And no “normal people” will be annoyed nor lock them down if they shout or if they have “weird behaviours”.)
– To care about the health of the “residents” of the area (both physical and mental health, with natural food, activities, connection with Nature…)
– To protect Nature (plants, animals…)
– To share that with visitors (who can pay for the needs of the project and who can also provide some (sensible) human help during their stay)
– To serve as an example for other projects (through duplication) in Brazil and some other countries where appropriate, in order to have a network of “Natural Reserves” protected from nonsense, greed, destruction etc.

– Important note: nothing manufactured outside of that natural reserve (or not entirely natural and raw produced outside) shall enter.
Examples :
– Sugar is not raw, coffee neither
– People don’t have to go naked: they will be given “natural clothes” when they enter, and they will build new ones for new visitors or residents
– No cell phones, cameras, weapons, tools, etc.: it is a 100% natural area
– At the entrance (airfield) there should be a building or system with sufficient security to keep the belongings of the visitors (including against any possible attack).
The communication facilities with “civilization” would be only there (Internet…).

(We have to analyse the similar experimentations, and see what works and what are the problems or risks.)

(Note of 14/03/2021: The name of this project can be “Naturalness Reserves”.
And it does not necessarily have to be “created” (which is extremely difficult): maybe we can try to make an “adaptation” with an already existing “delimited indigenous territory”, with a special agreement with an indigenous people and the goverment of Brazil, as an experimentation.)

All these things will only be possible with the participation of more “Nature Defenders” (including you ?).
There are thousands of persons of good will in the world who think similar things, but they are isolated: that is why we want to build a network.
At the moment, the website needs to be completely redesigned and a directory system installed to register NGOs, individual Defenders and volunteers.
(Note of 13/03/2021: The website has now been redesigned as planned.)

Thank you for your attention and patience, and do not hesitate to join this adventure by contacting us.

After this little meeting, we walked to the nearby jungle in the centre of Rio de Janeiro.
This city “imposes” Nature on civilization, thanks to its mountains and volcanic peaks, its lakes, its forests, the ocean, which are present almost everywhere.
This is why it fascinates so much the “modern men” who feel deep down the need of “reconnection” with Nature: this is our goal, within our means.