UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Geovanni Siquihua, a Kichwa indigenous leader from Sani, a community in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest currently resisting oil extraction, will present "Oil extraction and Kichwa indigenous futurities in the Amazon rainforest: The experience of the Sani community" at the Department of Geography's Coffee Hour lecture series at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 3, in 112 Walker Building on the University Park campus and via Zoom.

Siquihua will detail the Sani community's interactions with the Occidental Petroleum Corporation in 2004 and their subsequent decision to focus on preserving 40,000 hectares of the Amazon rainforest.

The talk will provide attendees with a comprehensive account of how Kichwa communities navigate the challenges presented by the extractive energy frontier. Siquihua will also share his perspective on potential sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel extraction, emphasizing tourism, education, research and entrepreneurship.

Penn State Assistant Professor of Geography, Belén Noroña, who has conducted research in the Amazon region for the last six years, will moderate the talk. She will provide context regarding the extractive industry in the Amazon and facilitate a simultaneous translation for Siquihua's talk and the following Q&A session.

Siquihua’s talk is part of the fall 2023 "Coffee Hour" seminar series hosted by Penn State’s Department of Geography. To learn more and access the Zoom information, visit the Coffee Hour event webpage.