Award Ceremony
Gordon Hempton, QPI Co-Founder, left, with Josh Borman, Cofan Nation, right.
On Sunday, April 14th, 2019, the Cofan Nation of Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest received Quiet Parks International’s (QPI) highest award as First Wilderness Quiet Park. This ceremony took place at Manresa Castle, Port Townsend, Washington. Josh Borman began the ceremony with a blessing in native Cofan. Mr. Borman expressed gratitude at receiving this honor and appreciation for the benefits which include sustainable economic growth, preservation of environmental resources and continuance of traditional life.
“Until now, not one place on Earth has been off-limits to noise pollution; natural quiet has become an endangered species without people knowing it,” stated Gordon Hempton, QPI Co-Founder. He went on to say, “Science has made it abundantly clear that noise pollution is not just an annoyance, it causes health loss and dramatically impacts wildlife’s ability to survive. By awarding the Zabalo River as the world’s first Quiet Park we are paving the way for many more Quiet Parks around the globe.”
QPI has plans for hundreds more Wilderness Quiet Parks, Quiet Marine Sanctuaries, Urban Quiet Parks, Quiet Communities and Residences, and even Quiet Hotels. Fellow Co-Founder, Vikram Chauhan, added, “For a long time Silence has been Golden but now we are turning Quiet into Gold for the benefit of all life. This is a real economic opportunity for countries who also embrace sustainable environmental and public health development.”
Tours by Cofan guides to the Zabalo River Wilderness Quiet Park will start this June.
Look at this location on the map (Lat. 0°22'46.56"S, Long. 75°46'7.84"W)
For more information or to schedule an interview contact Matthew Mikkelsen, Executive Director of Media Affairs, matt@quietparks.org or +1-908-328-5117