by Amanna Brito / MAB

Between November 6 and 12, the city of Belém, in Pará, will welcome representatives from 62 countries for the IV International Meeting of People Affected by Dams and Climate Crisis. The event, organized by the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAR), will bring together more than 350 delegates from five continents to exchange experiences, strengthen international resistance networks, and discuss popular energy alternatives in the face of the global climate crisis.

This is the second time the meeting has been held in Brazil. In 1997, the event brought people together in Curitiba, Paraná. In 2003, it was held in Thailand, and in 2010, in Mexico. Now, in 2025, the country will host the fourth edition of the event, with the expectation of expanding the struggle of affected populations and consolidating common agendas in defense of life, territories, and energy sovereignty.

 How countries have been preparing for the Fourth International Meeting

In Brazil, preparations focused on political debates and strengthening collective organization. According to Soniamara Maranho, from the national coordination of the Movement of People Affected by Dams (MAB) and the coordination of MAR, the country has been mobilizing on several fronts to contribute to the consolidation of an international grassroots movement, with its own strategy and global coordination.

“It is at this Fourth Meeting that we will consolidate the creation of an international movement of people affected by dams and the climate crisis, which until now had been organized on a continental or national basis. From now on, we will have a grassroots international movement, with a national strategy and global coordination. This gives those affected a concrete reference point for unifying the national and international struggle,” she explains.

According to Sonia, those affected in Brazil, as hosts of this meeting, held debates on the current situation, accumulated experiences of training and resistance in the territories, and are preparing the logistical conditions to receive delegations from around the world.

“These will be days of intense exchange and debate about the kind of movement we want to build, the energy model we advocate, and the alternative society to the capitalist system we seek to strengthen,” she says.

On the African continent, in Mozambique, preparations involved mobilizing communities affected by the Mphanda Nkuwa dam in Tete province. According to Érika Mendes, from the organization Environmental Justice (Justiça Ambiental – JA!) and member of the African coordination of the Meeting, the country held meetings and shared information with local populations. It also drafted the Chitima Declaration, launched in March, reaffirming the right of communities to reject the dam project, and participated in the organization of the African Continental Forum on Mega-Dams and Climate Crisis, held in Kinshasa in June this year.

“We hope to learn from the struggles in Latin America and be inspired by the social movements in the Americas, from whom we have so much to learn. We also want to help our comrades in other countries to better understand the context in Africa, the difficulties we face in our countries, particularly Mozambique, which is one of the poorest countries in the world and has been so badly affected by large-scale extractive projects and mega-dams. We want to strengthen solidarity among the peoples of the Global South and together we will build a different world, where people and the planet are more important than profit,” said Érika.

In Europe, delegations have been coordinating in recent months through face-to-face and virtual meetings. According to Irene González Pijuan, from the Alliance Against Energy Poverty in Spain, in May 2025, 15 organizations gathered in La Morera, Barcelona, to share their stories of struggle and begin building a political subject of affected people. Since then, online meetings have helped to form the delegation that will travel to Belém and to plan the necessary tasks and working groups.

“The expectation for the event is to be able to coordinate internationally with other movements of affected people. To listen to and learn from organizations from other continents about their stories of struggle, their vision of the current situation, and their goals, in order to build a common political subject based on internationalist solidarity, capable of confronting capitalism, extractivism, and the plunder they entail,” she says.

In addition, the European network seeks to overcome the logic imposed by governments and large companies, placing those affected at the center of the debate and strengthening internationalist solidarity.

On the Asian continent, Teresia Jari, from Indonesia, points out that the preparation involved mobilizing local communities, such as the Punan people on the Tubu Mentarang River, to share experiences and strengthen resistance against the exploitation that threatens their territories. According to her, the meeting will be an opportunity for exchange between the various continents.

“This is the moment for us, ordinary citizens, to share what we are facing in our villages, learn from the experiences of other places, and, most importantly, seek inspiration to continue fighting and show solidarity together,” Teresia emphasizes.

A global coordination meeting

The IV International Meeting of People Affected by Dams and Climate Crisis represents an opportunity for global coordination, visibility, and political pressure. For participants, being together in Belém means building international strategies, exchanging experiences, and strengthening the collective struggle, showing that it is possible to prioritize life, territories, and solidarity over profit and exploitation. The event reinforces that the struggle of those affected knows no borders and that international solidarity is essential to confront capitalism, extractivism, and the climate crisis in an organized and strategic manner.