Meli Bees, a nonprofit from Brazil, was inspired by the work with and protection of the Meliponini stingless bees in traditional communities (quilombolas, indigenous, and smallholders) in the most endangered areas of the Amazon Rainforest. Through regenerative agriculture, environmental education and knowledge generation, Meli Bees helps communities develop regenerative practices and new livelihood opportunities.
Meli Bees understands that for the health of our planet, it is urgent to protect the Amazon and partner with people and organizations who are actively taking care of the forest to understand the local context. In collaboration with a variety of partners – such as nonprofits, universities, companies, local communities – many small events will occur simultaneously across the globe. The idea is to re-signify the region previously known as Arc of Deforestation and focus on the Arc of Regeneration being built in the Brazilian states Maranhão and Pará.
On Wednesday, September 21, join the Brazil Gateway, Office of International Affairs, Meli Bees, Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS), Sustainability Institute and Brazilian Student Association (BRASA) at Ohio State as we listen to and speak with Amazon voices.
This event will be held in English. English-Portuguese interpretation will be available.
Program
10:10 a.m. – Photo exhibit with slides of photos from the region taken by the community
10:15 a.m. – Welcome: Jane K. Aparecido, director, Brazil Gateway
10:30 a.m. – Opening remarks: Gil Latz, vice provost for global strategies and international affairs
10:45 a.m. – Keynote and short video: “Amazon Voices” – Ana Rosa, director, Meli Bees
11:30 a.m. – “Making honey in Ohio State and in Maranhão, compared” – Beekeeping talk with:
- Reed Johnson, associate professor and entomology graduate studies chair, Ohio State Department of Entomology
- Eleuza Gomes Tenório, beekeeping and meliponiculture professor, State University of Maranhão Department of Animal Science
- Moderated by Ana Rosa, director, Meli Bees
12:30 p.m. – Cultural activity: Carimbó video and lunch break
1:15 p.m. – Welcome: Pedro Lutti, fourth-year finance Ohio State student and president of BRASA
1:30 p.m. – “Ohio State connections in the Amazon: current human-environmental collaborations and future research opportunities” – Multidisciplinary panel with:
- Nick Kawa, assistant professor, Ohio State Department of Anthropology
- Ozeas Costa, associate professor, Ohio State School of Earth Sciences
- Barbara Piperata, professor, Ohio State Department of Anthropology
- Moderated by Mark Hoff, assistant director, CLAS
2:30 p.m. – Roundtable with students:
- Butch Wright, graduate teaching assistant, Ohio State Department of Anthropology
- Steven Rhue, graduate student, Ohio State Department of Anthropology
- Ana Carolina Brito, graduate student, Federal University of Para Department of Anthropology
- Davi Pereira Junior, PhD in Latin American Studies, University of Texas at Austin
- Moderated by Tamryn McDermott, graduate teaching associate, Ohio State Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy
3:30 p.m. – Closing remarks: Elena Irwin, faculty director and co-founder, Sustainability Institute at Ohio State
This event is co-sponsored by the Brazil Gateway, Office of International Affairs, Melo Bees, Center for Latin American Studies (CLAS), Sustainability Institute, and Brazilian Student Association at Ohio State (BRASA).
If you require an accommodation such as live captioning or interpretation to participate in this event, please contact Jane Aparecido at aparecido.1@osu.edu. Requests made one week in advance of the event will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the university will make every effort to meet requests made after this date.
