As we stare into the face of a sixth mass extinction, plant teachers and the ancestral knowledge systems that surround them are helping humanity to wake up and remember what it truly means to be human and choose the path of regeneration, of hope, and to be the ancestors our great-grandchildren need us to be.
Indigenous and non-indigenous people who work with these plants − such as ayahuasca, iboga, mushrooms, coca, and others − are being prosecuted for their roles as facilitators, ayahuasceros, healers, and teachers. They’ve been arrested in Spain, the United States, Chile, Russia, and 24 other countries.
The ICEERS Foundation (ICEERS) seeks to create policies and norms where plants are treated with respect and where the original peoples who have stewarded them for generations receive the acknowledgement and support that is needed now more than ever.
The ICEERS Ayahuasca Defense Fund (ADF) helps people who have been arrested by uniting state-of-the-art legal, scientific, community, and public policy expertise. In addition to providing educational information to prevent legal incidents, they promote best practices and sensible policy that respects indigenous cultural heritage and human rights.
What will the funds be used for?
The ADF was initiated in 2016 in response to the growing criminalization of ayahuasca and other psychoactive plants worldwide. This program is supported by an Advisory Committee and an international network of experts.
Thanks to support from the international community, they have worked with over 100 defendants and their legal teams in 27 countries, transcending ignorance and prejudice with facts, and promoting cultural and human rights. They have educated judges, lawyers, ambassadors, diplomats, government officials with results. This support has led to many positive legal outcomes.
In the words of someone they supported: “The ADF Team educated me how to protect my religious civil rights and walked these steps with me with great dedication and full commitment. They were the wealth of advice and the guiding force to my legal defense attorney.”
Donations will fund the following activities:
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Responses to the increasing inquiries and legal cases, providing timely moral and strategic support to defendants and their lawyers.
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A basic case often requires over 200 hours of direct support from their team.
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Updating the 2017 Ayahuasca Technical Report, incorporating new research evidence, and new leading global ayahuasca experts as signatories.
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The first edition of this report in 2013 has played an important role in legal cases around the world.
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Developing an evidence-based FAQ document summarizing key legal arguments from over 100 documented cases.
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This document will expand their reach and increase their efficiency by clearly articulating potential strategies for lawyers and defendants.
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Connecting the dots internationally, by analyzing legal trends, policy shifts and lessons learned from legal cases.
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Up-to-date information is critical and can mean the difference between a legal win or a setback for defendants.
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Updating the online country-by-country legal map on their website by conducting in-depth research and including the latest on new arrests.
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This important tool supports the international community to make responsible decisions that minimize legal risk.
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Building on legal defense work to seize opportunities for pro-active strategies in countries around the world and with international regulatory bodies.
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Enabling ICEERS to leverage their extensive networks to build advocacy within countries and regions to change law and policy, thereby eliminating legal risks and promoting public health.
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For more information, visit the ADF Liberate Plant Teachers campaign page here.