Page 84 - Mediterraneo e dintorni - 2-2020

guARdiAns oF the FoRest
Roger lo guarro’s goal on the
Peruvian Amazon, between
nature and solidarity

camera does not save the world,
A but tells it. Images seduce the
gaze, touch the soul, shake conscien-
ces. These are the sensations offered
by Guardians of the Forest, the exhi-
bition curated by photographer Roger
Lo Guarro. The forest in question is
the Mother of Dios, in the Peruvian
Amazon; the guardians are the In-
dians of the Boca Pariamanu commu-
nity. And then there is a tree, a tre-
asure of nature: it is the Amazonian
walnut. It is an invaluable resource
for the economy of those populations
and for the health of the ecosystem.
Guardians of the Forest is the result
of four years of work, along which
Lo Guarro immersed himself in the
Amazonian reality, developing with
it a relationship of empathy that shi-
nes through from every pixel. “Why
don’t you plant a tree too?” It all
started here, from the invitation from
a Peruvian girl to Lo Guarro. The
photographer accepted; he therefore
got on his camera and embarked on
this adventure in the middle of the
forest. He was not alone: to share the
experience was the team of the Cesvi
Onlus Foundation that for years has
been working alongside the people
of the region. Cesvi has a twofold
objective: on the one hand, to ensure
the protection of ecosystems; on the tutto quanto gli serve per vive- «Penso ancora a quella bambi-
other, improving the conditions of re, la fase del raccolto del frutto, na con tenerezza e non smetto
the natives. The life of the commu- l’attesa e la festa degli anziani al di ringraziarla dentro di me per
nity revolves around the production ritorno dei loro figli con i sacchi l’opportunità che mi ha regalato»
of Amazonian walnut, considered a di noci, la commercializzazione. afferma Roger Lo Guarro. «Da

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