Rising sea levels caused by global warming are forcing the migration of the Warao people, who reside in the delta of the Orinoco River. It is also threatening the freshwater ecosystem of aquatic life there. The indigenous Warao, or canoe people, number around 2５,000 and have lived in the delta region for hundreds of years.

Their livelihoods include creating hammocks, houses and canoes out of palms and trees. It has often been noted that such cultures as the Warao are scarcely responsible for the greenhouse gases that have been created by the industrial world, yet they are often the most impacted. In this case, climate change-induced rising sea levels are now threatening the way of life of the Warao, as the encroaching ocean means they have to search for drinking water and will likely have to move completely from the water’s edge and the environment that has defined them as a culture. We pray for the well-being of the Warao people and indigenous cultures throughout the world.

May humans everywhere realize the interconnectedness of all life to better protect one another and our Earth another through sustainable lifestyle choices.
Speaking during a December 2008 videoconference in California, USA, Supreme Master Ching Hai spoke with sorrow over the strife of those whose livelihoods are jeopardized by rising sea levels, while addressing the fastest solution to such tolls of global warming.


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