Building intercultural bridges for a thriving planet
Save the House of Cultures
A Home for Intercultural Expression and Environmental Stewardship in the heart of the Amazon
Join us in revitalising this sanctuary—contribute before Dec. 20!
El Puente — meaning "the bridge" in Spanish — is a charitable foundation supporting Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC), with the protection and regeneration of their landscapes and ecosystems. We are an intercultural bridge founded on the pillars of Sovereignty, Regeneration, Education and Reciprocity. Our aim is to develop resiliency at a local and global level by protecting land and establishing sustainable projects and enterprises focused on biocultural preservation and ecological restoration.
El Puente Pillars
We are implementing a four-pillar approach: Sovereignty, Regeneration, Education, and Reciprocity,
to address and reverse the ecological, climate, and health crises. This approach supports Indigenous-led conservation, regeneration, and restoration projects aimed at restoring self-sustaining ecosystems to their natural, flourishing state. In order to do this effectively, we must nurture healthy relationships between people of all cultures and the ecosystems that sustain us.
Sovereignty
El Puente supports the sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLC) by recognizing their rights and territories. We cocreate Intercultural & Ethnobotanical Reserves, implement strategies and form alliances to ensure IPLC have access to their lands, maintain local food systems, and revive Indigenous cultures and traditional livelihoods.
Education
El Puente works at the interface of ancestral wisdom and the latest scientific breakthroughs, fostering knowledge synergies and the intercultural exchange of best practices, promoting wellbeing of communities and their landscapes. This includes supporting the development and implementation of curricula by IPLC, and capacity building to broaden the impact of regenerative projects on a bioregional level.
Regeneration
El Puente connects, promotes and sponsors projects aimed at regenerating the ecological, economic, social, and cultural dimensions of IPLC and their local territories. This includes ecological restoration and rehabilitation, regenerative agriculture, reforestation with native tree species, local sustainable economic activities, intercultural eco-development, and integration of ancient and modern science and technology.
Reciprocity
El Puente is committed to ensuring the respect of IPLC (Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities) rights and knowledge, as well as the equitable sharing of benefits from any revenue-generating activities based on their local knowledge or heritage. El Puente will work with IPLC to incubate sustainable products and services that can build prosperity and resiliency for their communities, landscapes, and territories. This commitment is achieved while fostering partnerships with organisations and supporting the creation of biocultural safeguards
El Puente Projects
In 2023, four pilot projects were launched in the Acre and Amazonas States in Brazil. Read more.
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Located in the Purus National Forest, this pilot project aims to preserve local ethnoecological knowledge, host an agroforestry garden and sustainable forest management projects, and serve as an educational and research centre for both local and international visitors.
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SERP seeks to combine ancestral wisdom with recent scientific knowledge to support IPLC in sustainably producing key medicinal plants upon agroforestry standards and conducting phytochemical analysis, with its initial phase involving the planting of medicinal gardens, improving communal facilities, and establishing local partnerships in between traditional communities and avant-garde academics.
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Located in Rio Branco, the capital of Acre and a historic port city that serves as a gateway to the Amazon bioregion, the House of Cultures (Casa das Culturas) is a sanctuary for Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities (IPLC), and urban youth. It offers educational intercultural programs, and a space to celebrate and preserve their heritage. This centre will host workshops on traditional arts, music, healing practices, rituals, orientation support, and environmental stewardship. It aims to become a creative hub and a point of entry and exit for local and international visitors to and from the Amazon Rainforest.
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In partnership with the Huni Kuin’s Centro Huwa Karu Yuxibu, El Puente supported the purchase of 2400 hectares for an agroforestry and eco-development project led by local leader Mapu Huni Kuin, focusing on replanting ancestral forests, restoring a watershed, producing sustainable products, and developing educational programs for indigenous ethnobotanical projects in alliance with participatory investors and many remote Huni Kuin villages.
Join an Expedition
A unique two-week experience that combines inner transformation with outer restoration — curated to take participants on an immersion into Amazonian cultures, traditions and ecosystems, while also directly contributing to local community projects supported by El Puente. Expeditions are currently offered twice a year.
Our Partners
