When I think about landscapes, the first word that comes to my mind is ‘integration’. When looking to different elements of a system, it was irresistible for me to see parts of other systems linked to it and start thinking about their interconnections. My mind always tries to solve the puzzle. It is a spontaneous way of thinking that has been with me since I can remember. So here I am! With a background in sciences and work experience in policy making, trying to solve problems and giving new ideas to fill the needs of humans without endangering the continuity of ecological cycles. That is a landscape point of view, a holistic point of view.
There are many concerns in my mind, but one of the biggest is social inequality. It is not possible to solve it just by looking at a few elements in one system, nor just by working at the national level. So I decided to leave Peru to improve my knowledge with a Master in Human Ecology and get therefore more involved in International Affairs. My participation in the Youth in Landscapes Initiative is a step forward in this way. The exchange of ideas with people with similar concerns but different backgrounds would be an amazing experience! I am so looking forward to it!!
My roots are in the Peruvian Andes, up in the mountains. Up there it is easy to forget the people, the land and nature because everything is far from everything else unless you own a plane to move around in (and also because there are no places to land on everywhere). That is one of the landscapes that moves me the most. It does not have such a visible value because it does not have the exuberance of the Amazon rainforest or the mangroves. However, it has been and continues to be the nest of many things we used to eat and even to read this blog (not to mention the high value of the traditional knowledge). Probably only a few people know that the domestication of the main food sources of the world began in the mountains. It is a key space; it is a key landscape! Unfortunately, its high rurality leaves its inhabitants without a voice and denies them many opportunities. I want to raise my voice for them and for one of the most important people that live there, the mountain farmers.
So I expect to share my knowledge and experience and learn as much as I can! My commitment is and will remain strong.
Claudia Parra is one of the 10 young professionals who will facilitate a session at the 2016 Global Landscapes Forum in Morocco. Learn more about this year’s Global Landscapes Forum’s Youth activities; meet our 10 youth facilitators, and discover the Youth in Landscape Initiative!
