What do human rights have to do with conservation?Human Rights and Conservation: La Celebración as a platform to exercise and defend rights in territories

Much more than usually thought. Biodiversity is not only part of the natural heritage: it is also the foundation of the right to life, water, health, food, and a healthy environment. These fundamental rights are directly linked to the existence and good condition of ecosystems.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, a region that hosts more than 40% of global biodiversity, these rights face increasing threats: violence against environmental defenders, exclusion of local communities, criminalization of traditional livelihoods, and limited access to information or participation in decisions about their territories.

In this context, La Celebración of Protected and Conserved Areas and Their People has emerged since 2020 as an inclusive regional action and coordination platform that integrates sectors, generations, and cultures to make visible, protect, and strengthen local conservation efforts from a human rights approach.

A human rights-based approach

La Celebración promotes a people-centered conservation approach based on human rights principles: participation, non-discrimination, transparency, intergenerational equity, and accountability.

According to OHCHR (2024), "only conservation measures based on human rights can ensure positive outcomes for people and the planet." This approach aligns with the Escazú Agreement, the first binding regional treaty on rights of access to information, participation, and environmental justice in Latin America and the Caribbean. Escazú also recognizes the urgency of protecting environmental defenders.

The human rights most directly linked to biodiversity include:

• Right to life (dependent on ecosystem services);

• Right to a healthy environment, recognized as a human right by the UN (2022);

• Right to water, health, and food, closely connected to biodiversity and its fair management;

• Right to culture and self-determination, especially for Indigenous peoples.

What does La Celebración do?

La Celebración is an annual regional process culminating each October 17, the Day of Protected and Conserved Areas of LAC. Its main actions include:

• Free training based on a rights approach on the importance of protected areas and sociobiodiverse landscapes, leadership, participation, strategic communication, and governance;

• Regional pre-celebrations (Caribbean, Hispanic South America, Mesoamerica, Brazil), promoting multi-stakeholder coordination;

• Multilingual campaigns and materials that engage actors, promote their efforts for areas for well-being, and value the role of territorial defenders;

• Network of territorial ambassadors, trained, visible, and connected regionally;

• Regional event on October 17, which in 2025 will have a hybrid venue in Colombia together with National Natural Parks.

In 2025, a budget of USD 97,100 is planned with the support of allies for:

• Inclusive technology, identity, training, and connectivity for ambassadors;

• Territorial coordination (4,580 annual working hours);

• Hybrid event, trainings, regional workshops, audiovisual production, and regional campaigns.

Why is the human rights approach key in conservation?

Because without human rights there is no effective or sustainable conservation. Without access to information, participation, and protection, communities or actors that best care for sociobiodiversity remain unprotected. It is the people—from their communities, networks, government institutions, companies, and initiatives—who influence, validate or invalidate, and drive effective conservation, affecting the common well-being these strategic territories provide at different scales.

La Celebración seeks to reverse this situation through a collective, intercultural, and collaborative practice. Because conserving is a right—and participating is too.

---

From the Celebration of Protected and Conserved Areas and Their People in Latin America and the Caribbean, we are pleased to invite you to take an active part in this annual initiative that, since 2020, has mobilized thousands of people around effective conservation, showcasing the cultural, environmental, and social value of our protected areas and other conservation modalities.

The 2025 edition will be hosted regionally by Colombia, with a central hybrid event on October 17, organized in collaboration with Colombia’s National Natural Parks (PNN Colombia). From this location, the Day of Protected and Conserved Areas will be broadcast throughout the region, featuring leading sessions, local voices, and a diverse program that reflects the richness of our communities and territories.

“Throughout the process, we will support the organization of in-person and virtual events to create a memorable Celebration that highlights the value of Latin America and the Caribbean’s protected areas and the major challenges they face.”— Luisz Olmedo Martínez Zamora, General Director, National Natural Parks of Colombia

An Annual Initiative with Strategic Milestones

The Celebration takes place throughout the year through a series of open and free activities that build capacity, connect stakeholders, amplify voices, and raise the profile of protected and conserved areas:

MAY – JULY

🔹 Call for new Guardian and Seed Ambassadors – Completed🔹 Digital thematic campaigns – OngoingGet involved through our social media and explore campaigns on Women, Indigenous Peoples, Businesses, and Youth for Wellbeing, Importance of Protected and Conserved Areas, and more:https://linktr.ee/celebracion_areasprotegidas

⚠️ Interested in running collaborative communication campaigns? Let us know by replying to this email.

🔹 Regional actor integration workshops (pre-celebration planning)🔹 Open access to agile trainings

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER

🔹 Subregional Pre-Celebrations: virtual spaces for regional coordination and strengthening in preparation for October 17, the Day of Protected and Conserved Areas in LAC.Stay informed, access benefits. Registration is open:www.celebracionareasprotegidas.org

🔹 Local celebration registration (July–November) – See the step-by-step guide🔹 Collection and selection of featured initiatives🔹 Editing of outreach materials🔹 Logistics for hybrid event

OCTOBER – NOVEMBER

🔹 Regional hybrid event broadcast from Colombia (October 17)🔹 Presentation of results and collaborative products🔹 Regional and stakeholder integration reports

NOVEMBER 2025 – MARCH 2026

🔹 Post-event campaign on celebration highlights🔹 Publication of reports and knowledge products🔹 Ongoing support for territorial networks and processes

Want to Add Your Celebration?

Step-by-step to register your celebration:

Explore your territory: Identify what is important to conserve in your area. Involve all sectors, especially local communities.Plan your celebration: Design your event or align an existing project with our thematic focus areas. Find examples and resources on the official website.Connect and strengthen your initiative: Participate in agile trainings and zonal Pre-Celebrations. Get inspired and collaborate with ambassadors across the region.Register your celebration: Join the roadmap. You will receive support, visibility, and a special invitation to the October 17 event.

Pre-Celebrations

OBJECTIVES: Foster stakeholder integration and coordination of celebrations aligned with global, regional, and national conservation challenges. These are key spaces to prepare and connect actions (events or projects) that contribute to the effective conservation of protected and conserved areas and their landscapes, leading up to the October 17 celebration.

📅 Pre-Celebration Calendar

• Mexico & Mesoamerica Region – August 4, 2025 (4:00 PM Mexico time)

• Caribbean & English-speaking Region (Spanish – English) – August 11, 2025 (4:00 PM Cuba time)

• Brazil (Portuguese) – August 18, 2025 (4:00 PM Brazil time)

• Hispanic South America – August 25, 2025 (5:00 PM Argentina time)

BENEFITS

For ambassadors and community leaders, networks, and organizations:Access to agile training on the importance of protected and conserved areas (PCAs), enhancing advocacy, integration, participation, and effective conservation for collective wellbeing.

For Guardian Ambassadors:Leadership opportunities and visibility during the main event.

For governments and organizations:Opportunities to highlight conservation-related efforts and intersectoral collaboration, connecting with other LAC-level peers and initiatives to conserve protected areas, conserved territories, and biological corridors (landscapes for wellbeing).

For businesses and entrepreneurs:Position your products and services while demonstrating direct support for local leadership and effective conservation actions. Benefit from corporate social responsibility, sustainability reporting, and visibility at local, national, and regional levels.

Celebration Metrics (Since 2020)

✅ Over 8,600 people mobilized annually✅ 195 active celebrations recognizing 178 protected and conserved areas✅ 45 certified ambassadors per year, with gender parity✅ Participation in key events like COP16, IUCN, and the Nature Contributions Platform

Measured Impact🌱 0.6% of global biodiversity conservation potential🌱 0.4% of emissions reduction potential🌱 0.2% of ecosystem restoration potential

Call for Sponsors – Partner with Impact

To keep trainings, regional workshops, ambassador strengthening, campaigns, and the October 17 event open, public, and free, we need support through strategic sponsorships and endorsements.

We are looking for organizations, companies, and individuals committed to the environment, wellbeing, and human rights to support:

🔹 Sponsorship of open trainings on conservation and collaboration🔹 Support for Pre-Celebrations (translation, intercultural facilitation)🔹 Support for Guardian and Seed Ambassadors (accessibility, visibility, mentoring)🔹 Leading roles in the October 17 event sessions🔹 Regional outreach campaigns with wide reach

🟩 Sponsorships come with access to services and strategic spaces managed by the organizing team.

📌 What’s in it for you as a sponsor?✔️ Strategic positioning in conservation and sustainability✔️ Access to key audiences in Latin America and the Caribbean✔️ Impact metrics for reports and projects✔️ Visibility alongside international bodies such as IUCN, the European Union, women and youth in conservation, park rangers, environmental educators, Indigenous peoples, and regional governments

📍 More information and registration:👉 www.celebracionareasprotegidas.org📬 Sponsorship opportunities and inquiries: info@celebracionareasprotegidas.org

Let’s celebrate our areas and their people. Let’s celebrate the wellbeing of Latin America and the Caribbean.