31 Aug 2025
WIN WIN in the Amazon with Domingo Peas
As part of the 2025 WIN WIN Award, the delegation traveled to Ecuador to document and experience the life and work of this year’s laureate, Domingo Peas. Domingo has dedicated more than three decades to defending the Amazon rainforest and advancing the rights of Indigenous peoples. His leadership, vision, and commitment have made him a unifying voice for communities across the Amazon basin.
Sharamentsa – The Home of the Laureate
The delegation first visited Sharamentsa, Domingo’s home community. We were welcomed with generosity, invited into ceremonies, and given the opportunity to experience the deep connection between people, river, and forest. This encounter highlighted the cultural roots that guide Domingo’s leadership and his vision for the future.
Puyo and the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance and Escuela Viva de la AmazonÃa
The journey continued to Puyo, where we joined meetings with the Amazon Sacred Headwaters Alliance (ASHA), founded and led by Domingo. Discussions focused on one of the region’s most urgent challenges: how to create sustainable economies that allow Indigenous youth to remain in their communities rather than leave in search of opportunities. Domingo’s mission is to strengthen local capacity so that the next generation can thrive while continuing to care for the rainforest.
Education is a central part of this mission. At Escuela Viva de la AmazonÃa (EVA), a leadership school co-founded by ASHA, students combine ancestral knowledge with skills in governance, human rights, and interdisciplinary fields. EVA is preparing a generation of leaders ready to protect both their cultural heritage and the Amazon itself.
Building Alliances for the Future
Beyond community visits, the delegation also met with government representatives and members of the National Assembly in Quito. Topics such as food sovereignty, reforestation, and regenerative bioeconomies were discussed not as abstract ideas, but as urgent realities tied to survival and dignity in the region.
The voice of Domingo Peas is unwavering: protecting the Amazon is not only about conservation, but about solidarity and resilience. His work is a reminder that the future of the rainforest is inseparable from our shared future.
"Having had the privilege of witnessing Domingo’s leadership first-hand, it is clear why he is such a deserving recipient of this year’s award. Through warmth, determination, and a steadfast belief that genuine change is achieved together, he inspires trust and confidence – both locally and globally." says Lovisa Ralpher, Head of Communication at WIN WIN Award
