“We humans are only part of the ecosystem and if we kill part of the system we are killing ourselves, that is what we need to understand, that this ecosystem must remain as it is, it must be sustained, because in its survival depends our own”

– Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai (1940–2011) was the founder of the Green Belt Movement and the Wangari Maathai Institute. Her life was a series of firsts: the first woman to gain a Ph.D. in East and Central Africa; the first female chair of a department at the University of Nairobi; and the first African woman and the first environmentalist to receive the Nobel Peace Prize (2004). Honoured throughout the world for her work for the environment, democracy, and peace, Professor Maathai was the author of four books including her autobiography: Unbowed and the subject of a documentary film, Taking Root.

Wangari Muta Maathai’s legacy takes many forms: the special qualities of her personality and vision; the lessons she took from her experiences; and the fortitude she displayed in speaking truth to power.

In Kenya, she remains a symbol of hope and steadfastness. Her moral authority, resoluteness, and incorruptibility are truly missed by the ordinary people she championed and on behalf of whom she spoke. Throughout the world, she is remembered for her unwavering commitment to the global environment and the most marginalized people, particularly women. The loss of her strong voice and accessible presence has left a huge gap, particularly as nations and communities grapple with the realities of a changing climate.

“Each of us can make a difference, and together accomplish what might seem impossible.”

– Wangari Maathai

“It is the people who must save the environment. It is the people who must make their leaders change. And we cannot be intimidated. So we must stand up for what we believe in.”

– Wangari Maathai

 

“When we manage our resources sustainably and practice good governance we deliberately and consciously promote cultures of peace, which include the willingness to dialogue and make genuine efforts for healing and reconciliation, especially where there has been misunderstanding, lost of trust, and even conflict. Whenever we fail to nurture these three themes, conflict becomes inevitable.”

– Wangari Maathai

Source: The Green Belt Movement