Three inspiring personalities have been honoured with the Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity 2023 in recognition of their leadership restoring and protecting vital ecosystems: Bandi “Apai Janggut”, customary community leader (Indonesia), Cécile Bibiane Ndjebet, activist and agronomist (Cameroon) and Lélia Wanick Salgado, environmentalist, designer and scenographer (Brazil).
The Jury, chaired by former Federal Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, selected these three individuals out of 143 nominations from 55 countries for their leadership and tireless work over decades to restore vital ecosystems (forests, landscapes and mangroves), and protect land with and for the benefit of local communities. They have all been committed to acting locally to restore and protect the land and biodiversity critical for the healthy functioning of our whole Earth and mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Cécile Bibiane Ndjebet has spent three decades advocating for gender equality and community rights to forests and natural resources. Her work has led to the restoration of more than 650 hectares of degraded land.Read the winners’ profiles here.
