The Brazilian chief Raoni Metuktire is currently on a European tour. His purpose is to gather royal support for his tribe and help to stop the deforestation that heavily impacts his tribe’s way of living. So far the chief has met with Grad Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Prince Charles-Philippe of Orléans, Duke of Anjou and Crown Prince Leka of Albania.
Chief Raoni is currently on a three-week tour through Europe, which began in Paris, during which he plans to raise one million euros to protect the Xingu reserve in the Amazon rainforest, home to several indigenous peoples threatened by the timber industry and agribusiness.
On Monday, the leader of the Kayapó ethnic group met Grand Duke Henri, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Pierre Gramegna, Finance Minister, in Luxembourg’scapital, in the fight against deforestation in the Amazon. On the same day, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg donated 100,000 euros to the indigenous leader for the defence of the forests and tribes of the Amazon.
On Thursday, the chief was in Monaco visiting Prince Albert II. Prince Albert has known the chief for a long time and when meeting the press the prince described the chief as a good friend. The Monegasque sovereign is very involved in the field of ecology and has already supported, through its foundation, the initiatives of Raoni Metuktire. The chief will also meet the pope before returning to Brazil.
Raoni Metuktire. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
This is not the first royal tour that the chief has taken on. In 2014, the chief undertook several visits across Europe to gather support. In 2014 he was granted an audience with the King of Norway among other royals.
The chief Raoni Metuktire, is followed by three more indigenous leaders living in the Rio Xingu-province. Raoni Metuktire, also known as Chief Raoni was born in 1930. He is a chief of the Kayapo people, a Brazilian Indigenous group from the plain lands of the Mato Grosso and Pará in Brazil, south of the Amazon Basin and along Rio Xingu and its tributaries. He is internationally famous as a living symbol of the fight for the preservation of the Amazon rainforest and indigenous culture.
