Protect the land of Sámi people

Happiness is real only when shared. And I have shared so many beautiful moments with amazing people. Especially in nature.

This summer being in the mountains, in Lapland, I felt an extreme gratitude to my life - I can move, walk, run, climb, jump, hear, see, smell, touch etc. I can experience one of the most beautiful places in the world and share those special moments with special people. And at the same time I felt sorrow. Because I am not sure if future generations will have a chance to see the beauty of this planet. Nature is showing us that there is not much time left.

Every year for my birthday I ask my friends to support a charity foundation. Using the occasion of my birthday this year I want to raise money for charity - Amnesty Sápmi a non-profit group within Amnesty International Sweden and next year I will walk 300 km in Swedish Lapland, in one of the wildest places in Europe - Sarek National Park, without any connection with the outside world. Check the website to get more information about their actions: http://www.amnestysapmi.se/

Why did I decide to support Amnesty Sápmi?

This year, I would love to contribute to Lapland's heritage and support indigenous people living there - the Sami.

About 20,000 of them live in Sweden, which is about 0.22% of Sweden's total population of around 9 million. The north-western part of Swedish territory is the traditional territory of the Sami people. Sami reindeer herders, small farmers, hunters, fishermen and gatherers traditionally use these lands. Their culture is one of the oldest in Scandinavian Peninsula.

Unfortunately, indigenous people today, in many parts of the world, are still facing discrimination, violence, struggling against a civic space, lacking recognition of their rights as peoples, and suffering from land dispossession and the negative consequences of climate change.

Indigenous People are not only disproportionately affected by climate change, they are also increasingly negatively impacted by adaptation efforts on their lands and territories. Every day they are losing their land. Maybe you are not aware but it is still happening and they are being criminalised, harassed or even killed for attempting to protect their territories.

Why it is so important to protect culture of Indigenous people?

• Their traditional agricultural practices are resilient to climate change
• They conserve and restore forests and natural resources
• Indigenous foods expand and diversify diets
• Indigenous foods are resilient to climate change
• Indigenous territories hold 80 percent of the world’s biodiversity
• Indigenous people's lifestyles are locally adapted and respectful of natural resources

So, Protecting their cultures is crucial for saving the world's biodiversity and saving the planet!

Thank you for your support and feel free to share this with your family and friends!

We can not save the planet alone so let's protect Mother Earth together.