Education
GUARDIANS OF GAIA
Gaia First's Guardians of Gaia program aims to empower young people to actively protect and regenerate our environment through the integration of traditional and indigenous wisdom and knowledge.
The Guardians of Gaia program wishes to inspire and engage global youth to become stewards of our planet by integrating Traditional Environmental Knowledge (TEK) into formal education systems. This innovative program goes beyond simple ecosystem preservation: it celebrates the cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples, which is inseparable from the protection of biodiversity.
Through a hands-on approach, students will not only learn this knowledge, they will put it into practice by creating and regenerating natural sanctuaries. These spaces will become places of active protection, where nature and culture come together to foster a deep understanding of ecosystems.
We firmly believe that Indigenous knowledge, often overlooked in formal education, holds essential solutions for the preservation of our planet. Its recognition as a central pillar of natural resource management is crucial. A greater awareness and understanding of this knowledge is intended to be inclusive and intercultural, connecting young people from diverse cultures around a common mission.
The Guardians of Gaia initiative wishes to encourage a new generation of visionary guardians, capable of building a sustainable, inclusive future with respect for peoples and cultures.
Our Vision
An educational program by Gaia First in collaboration with indigenous peoples
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Creating a global network of young guardians through sanctuaries and/or in-school or extra-curricular educational activities. Students, alongside indigenous communities, will be able to understand and then adopt an active role in the protection of local ecosystems and cultural heritage. Sanctuaries can become meeting places where the preservation of nature and cultures intertwine, reinforcing the idea that protecting the environment also means protecting the identity and knowledge of a people.
Approach: implementation of school and/or extra-curricular activities enriched with traditional and indigenous knowledge.
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Cultural transmission : Indigenous communities can share ecological and cultural knowledge, demonstrating that traditional environmental practices are inseparable from the protection of their cultural heritage.
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Practical immersion : Students can explore local ecosystems and, when possible, designate a natural area to be protected and become its guardians while respecting indigenous knowledge.
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Global network : Interconnected sanctuaries around the world create an intercultural learning community, where students exchange environmental and cultural methods, solutions and knowledge, creating deep connections for a sustainable and inclusive future.
Our Pillars
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Leadership – To train active protectors of nature and culture, equippedwith knowledge and tools to take action.
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Protection – Preserve indigenous and traditional habitats, culturalheritage and ecological knowledge.
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Sharing – Promote the intergenerational and intercultural transmission ofknowledge, ensuring the perpetuation of environmental and culturalheritage.
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Guardians of Gaia is forging a new generation capable of linking thepreservation of cultures to the regeneration of ecosystems, thus respondingto the ecological, inclusive and societal challenges of our time.