Sorabut Melanesia (Melan), INSPIRASI alum 2020, recently represented Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific region at the Rainforest Conference held in Berlin, Germany, on 20–22 October 2025. The international gathering, initiated by Misereor, Westpapua-Netzwerk, and the Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), brought together participants from the world’s three major rainforest regions, the Amazon Basin (Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia), the Congo Basin (Democratic Republic of Congo), and Asia (including Thailand, Kalimantan, and Papua).
The conference served as a crucial platform to reaffirm the role of rainforests as the lungs of the earth and to call for stronger protection against extractive activities such as illegal logging, mining, palm oil expansion, and land grabbing that continue to threaten Indigenous lands and ecosystems.
Through shared learning and dialogue, participants explored the importance of forests for Indigenous livelihoods, exchanged success stories and strategies for land defense, and worked together to draft joint position papers and agreements for collective action.
Melan emphasized that the participation of Indigenous communities from Papua in global forums like this is vital to ensure that their perspectives and local struggles are heard on the international stage. Her presence underscores INSPIRASI alumni’s continued commitment to advancing environmental justice and Indigenous rights beyond their home communities.