Mumbai, July 20, 2023. Three inspiring individuals have been announced by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation as winners of the 2023 Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, in recognition of their leadership restoring and protecting vital ecosystems: Bandi “Apai Janggut”, customary community leader (Indonesia); Cécile Bibiane Ndjebet, campaigner and agronomist (Cameroon) and Lélia Wanick Salgado, environmentalist, designer and scenographer (Brazil).
The Jury, chaired by former Federal Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, selected these three individuals out of 143 nominations from 55 countries.
The winners were chosen for their leadership and tireless work over decades to restore vital ecosystems including forests, landscapes and mangroves, and protect land with and for the benefit of local communities. They have all been committed to acting locally to restore and protect the land and biodiversity critical for the healthy functioning of our whole Earth and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Bandi aka “Apai Janggut” is an elder and customary leader of the Indigenous Group of Dayak Iban Sungai Utik Long House, located in the rainforests of western Kalimantan, in Indonesian Borneo. Bandi has led his community in fighting for recognition of their traditional land rights for over 40 years. In 2020, the Indonesian government gave the Dayak Iban community legal recognition and ownership of 9,500 hectares of land.
Cécile Bibiane Ndjebet is an advocate for gender equality and community rights to forests and natural resources from Cameroon. For over 30 years she has fought for the rights of women to secure land in tenure, ultimately to play a role in restoring vital ecosystems, end poverty and tackle climate change.
Lélia Wanick Salgado is a Brazilian environmentalist, designer and scenographer. In 1998 she co-founded the Instituto Terra, dedicated to the restoration of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Instituto Terra has been responsible for planting more than 2.7 million trees and restoring more than 700 hectares of degraded land. In collaboration with smallholder farmers, an additional 2,000 have been reforested, recovering 1,900 water springs.
Angela Merkel, President of the Jury, said, “Ecosystems support all life on Earth. The health of our planet and people depends on them, and healthy ecosystems will help us combat climate change. The Jury selected these three individuals in recognition of transformational work happening in the Global South, led by communities who are most impacted by climate change but have done the least to cause it. We believe the recipients will continue to inspire others and generate further positive climate action throughout the world.”
In 2022, the Global Biodiversity Framework was agreed upon by UN member states, highlighting the urgency of halting biodiversity loss, restoring natural ecosystems and protecting indigenous rights on a global stage.
The three individuals, who will share the €1 million Prize equally, can use the funding to help scale their efforts or support new restoration projects.
António Feijó, President of the Board of Trustees of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation says: “We pay tribute to the work and dedication the three recipients have shown in their efforts to restore vital ecosystems which are crucial to mitigate climate change. They exemplify outstanding climate leadership, achieving significant impact while working in close harmony with nature and local communities. We are honoured to support the recipients in expanding their efforts to protect the planet and humanity, and we believe their stories should inspire hope.”
The Prize for Humanity is given to individuals and organisations who are leading society’s efforts to tackle the biggest challenges facing humanity today – climate change and nature loss. With an award of €1 million, the Prize recognises outstanding contributions to climate action and solutions that inspire hope and possibility.
This is the fourth year in which the prize has been awarded. In 2020, its first year, the prize was awarded to Greta Thunberg; in 2021 it was awarded to the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy; and in 2022, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) were joint recipients.
