Indigenous Amazonian Youth Brings Concerns to the UN

Samuel Arara, a 25-year-old member of the Shawãdawa/Arara people from the state of Acre, Brazil, will participate in a training program at the United Nations in Geneva. He was selected for the Indigenous Peoples’ Fellowship Programme of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The program gathers Indigenous leaders from Brazil and around the world to deepen their understanding of international human rights mechanisms and strengthen their political advocacy.

Arara’s selection builds on his established work defending human rights, climate change mitigation, and socio-environmental justice. He previously participated in the Free Land Camp in Brasília, the Amazon Summit, and climate conferences in Baku and Belém.

Currently a forestry engineering student, Arara also leads student and communication collectives focused on Indigenous issues. He aims to use his platform to advocate for Indigenous participation in policymaking and to share the realities of life in the Amazon. The program included preparatory sessions in Brasília focused on international relations and human rights law.