Luis Javier Velásquez Varela
Founder and Director, Amazon Forever Org and the Amazon Rescue Center
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“No one protects what they don’t love, and no one loves what they don’t know. I imagine a world where future generations take care of the Amazon and have a better quality of life. They protect it because they love it, and they love it because at some point, they had the opportunity to learn a great deal about it.”
Luis Javier Velásquez Varela is an advocate for environmental preservation, especially the preservation of the Peruvian Amazon. Born in Iquitos, Peru, he is the founder of two nonprofit organizations dedicated to preserving the rivers and forests he explored as a child: the Amazon Rescue Center (CREA), which rescues, rehabilitates, and releases wildlife victims of illegal trafficking, and Amazon Forever Org, which provides access to high-quality environmental education and fosters a positive reconnection between children and nature.
A biologist with a master’s degree in ecology, Luis is also a writer and filmmaker who uses these skills to develop creative strategies to inspire new generations to protect the land and build a better future. He was instrumental in the creation of the Huayo Forest, a natural space opened in 2020 that now welcomes over 15,000 children annually to learn about the importance of the Amazon through hands-on activities. He has also developed eight eco-stories included in local schools’ reading plans which address critical topics such as deforestation, sustainable fishing, climate change, and wildlife trafficking in a simple and locally relevant way. His efforts have been recognized with two National Environmental Awards from the Presidency of Peru (2016 and 2019), the Carlos Ponce Conservation Award (2022), the Ruralia Award (2023), and Japan’s Okayama Award (2024).
Luis believes that creating an emotional connection to the environment is the first step in encouraging people to preserve it. Through education, creativity, and leadership, he and his teams at CREA and Amazon Forever Org work to create these connections in ways that will benefit not only the Amazon but also the development of the people who love it.