(24 January 2017) Photographs from the “Amazonia sin Fuego” initiative – the Italian Foreign Cooperation’s programme to reduce fires in the Bolivian Amazon – were collated in a photo-book filled with breath-taking shots by the RAI journalist, Liza Boschin. The photo-book was presented recently in La Paz during an event organised by the Bolivian Ministry for the Environment. The event saw the participation of the highest institutional representatives of the countries and companies supporting the cause. The presentation opened with the results achieved in the first phase of the project (2012-2016) followed by an introduction of the strategies for the incoming phase three. The importance of the next phase, in regards to principles of efficiency and ownership of aide, was underlined by Ambassador Vigo who also praised efforts made by different institutions involved. He also recognised the value of an initiative such as this one with a regional focus that crosses political boundaries in order to become a global frame of reference for sustainable development. “Amazonia sin Fuego” (PASF) is one of the Italian Cooperation’s best practices in environmental conversation and sustainable development in rural areas. After its success in Brazil (1999-2009), it moved onto Bolivia and Ecuador in 2016. The objective is to reduce forest fires in the Bolivian Amazon through training and advocating alternative uses of fires in agricultural activities. The Bolivian Minister for the Environment Alexandra Moreira, the Italian Ambassador to La Paz Placido Vigo, the director of the AICS foreign office in La Paz Vincenzo Oddo and the representatives of the Banca di Sviluppo dell’America Latina (CAF) and the Technical Cooperation of the Brazilian Embassy to Bolivia who financed this programme along with Italy; will all be there to testify to the wide institutional consensus that arose around the project. The importance of the photo-book as a tool that testifies to the importance of this task and which at the same time allows the capitalisation of Italy’s efforts in central themes in development such as the protection of forests, the sustainable management of resources and mitigating climate change. (Red)
