Development´ to the world of tourism.

 On an international scale, it was formulated at the World Conference on SustainableTourism in 1995. It is generally accepted that sustainability in tourism means ”beingecologically acceptable in the long term and financially viable and fair from a socialand ethical viewpoint, for local communities. Thus, tourism must become part of thenatural, cultural and human environment, respecting the fragile balance that ischaracteristic of many holiday destinations, particularly on small islands and inenvironmentally sensitive areas. Sustainable tourism will place special emphasis onconserving the cultural heritage, and traditions of local communities, enablingdestinations to enhance their social and cultural heritage and improve the quality oflife of their people (www.insula.org/tourism; 09.08.2005).Another conceptual definition comes from the World Tourism Organization,concerning the Sustainable Development of Tourism as following:„Sustainable tourism development guidelines and management practices areapplicable to all forms of tourism in all types of destinations, including mass tou20map of the communities on Ceará`s southeast coast source: EMBRATURrism and the various niche tourism segments. Sustainability principles refer to theenvironmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and asuitable balance must be established between these three dimensions to guarantee itslong-term sustainability (www.world-tourism.org/sustainable/concepts.htm; emphasisesin the original; 09.08.2005).3.8 The first steps of the sustainable tourism project in PrainhaThe idea to develop a sustainable tourism project in Prainha started in 1992, afterachieving a development project with positive results (the foundation of the fishingcooperative). The residents began to discuss tourism as another aspect of possiblefuture development for the whole community. The main questions for the nativepopulation were: would tourism really turn out as a benefit for the whole communityor would it only favor the big investors, entrepreneurs and speculators? At this timethe community also had been worrying about losing the tenure of their land to the realestate speculator.Under the leadership of the president of the Residents Association the subject wasdiscussed during several community meetings. As the residents of PCV did not live inisolation, they knew that the question was not, whether they wanted tourism in theirvillage or not, because sooner or later some entrepreneur would surely get into thecommunity, with the idea of building a hotel area or a beach-resort in the style of ClubMéditerannée. The core question of the residents was: would this be the kind oftourism they really wanted for their village?21René Schärer encouraged this discussion and suggested to do some research amongthe residents of Prainha and three other coastal neighbour-communities, wheretourism had already settled in. They selected Canoa Quebrada, Parajurú, Praia dasFontes, and their own village for the case study, designed and carried out a researchstudy, that will be presented in the following.Research study about the effects of tourism on local communities in Ceará:In 1994, a group of students applied questionnaires to the residents of four villages,asking about the local effects of tourism on their community.In Canoa Quebrada, the most popular place of the tourist industry in Ceará, localresidents verified the assumption, that tourism had brought certain advantages onone side, such as better income and a few safe jobs for a small part of the population.But on the other side they recognized that their original land, already covered withhotels, bars, restaurants and stores, belonged to foreign investors now. Beside thatthey had realized massive threats, like an increasing crime rate and higher costs ofliving, combined with a massive drug consumption, transmission of HIV andprostitution. There were only few jangadas and fisher-men left over (mostly servingtourists on excursions) and the price of fish and lobster (their traditional diet) wasgetting more and more expensive.In Parajurú, where many vacation homes have been constructed, the residents didnot feel any benefits, except for some small jobs as vacation home guards. The ownersdid little to feed the local economy, since they bring everything with them fromFortaleza and do not purchase locally. Today the community already has seriousproblems with criminality and drugs.In Praia das Fontes only two members of the community had been employed in theluxurious hotel built there. The owner put a wall around the property and there is nomore space for the natives, to build homes for their sons and daughters.In Prainha do Canto Verde, the enquiry revealed that the residents were con-scious ofthe arrival of tourism in their community sooner or later, but they had realized thethreatening aspects of mass tourism (when listening to their neighbours) and theirstatement was unanimous: they wanted a different type of tourism for their village:local, small, socially integrated and sustainable (see Schärer 2002, p. 15).223.9 The creation of the Cooperative of Tourism and Handicrafts “ COOPECANTURIn 1995, a working group to study and discuss different ideas was created, seeking theparticipation of people from outside and of René Schärer in monthly meetings. Theresult was the first draft of a community based tourism project. Two very agitatedyears followed due to the problems of predatory fishing and violent attacks by the realestate speculator during which the tourism discussion slowed down. But in 1997tourism returned to the discussions of the community’s meetings and the TourismCouncil was created.In 1998, when tourism development was started, the council organized a ”Community-Based Tourism Seminar. The Seminar was financed by the Association ”Friends ofPrainha do Canto Verde and had the support of the Instituto Terramar. Among theparticipants were the mayor of Beberibe, NGOs, other communities‘ residents and anexpressive group of local residents, representing the different groups of the village.During the 3-day-seminar a strategic planning for the tourism project of Prainha doCanto Verde was elaborated. In order to organize the project, the Cooperative ofTourism and Handicrafts “ COOPECANTUR was created. Currently, it works in aninformal way and is supported by the INCUBATOR OF POPULAR COOPERATIVES, of theFederal University of Ceará. Even though suggestions and ideas from outsiders arewelcome, the decisions are taken exclusively by the members of the Cooperative whorepresent a large number of families.Finally the tourism project of the community of Prainha do Canto Verde has beendefined by the local Tourism Council of Prainha in 1997, with the following missionstatement:”Develop eco-tourism in a community based way, to generate income and promotethe well being of the whole population, preserving our cultural values and theenvironmental beauty of our region“ (Schärer 2002, p. 14; emphasis by the author).23First catamaran of Prainha © W. KrönnerAccomodations and restaurantsPrainha` s tourism cooperation is offering simple accommodations in community ornative guesthouses, with private bedrooms and beach houses, reaching a total of 50beds.Five restaurants serve home-made food with fish and lobster caught by localfishermen. All restaurants are owned by native residents or the Association ofResidents, guaranteeing fair prices and professional standards.Handicrafts Shop ”CanguloThe community shop offers locally handmade stitcheries, woodcrafts, coconut shellproducts, beach fashion, post cards, films and suntan lotion.Lagoa e duna do Corrego do Sal (Salty Stream lagoon & dune) © W. Krönner24Excursions and walksJangada (Sailraft) excursionsCatamaran excursionsSalty Stream Lagoon Dune trail with guide (see picture above)Salty Stream Lagoon and Dune excursion2 days at Ponta Grossa, with accomodation, transport and guideExcursions and trips to the mangrove swamp, Rio JaguaribeExcursions to other interesting places of the region such asCanoa Quebrada and Morro BrancoVisit of the school, community events, research works and demarcation of the MarineExtrativist Reserve, and fishing in the open sea can be organized (see Schärer 2002, p.24).Fostering awareness and consciousness of the residentsThrough seminars and discussions, involving basically young people, the fostering ofconsciousness towards preservation of the local cultural traditions and values could bestrengthened. Among other things, social aspects of tourism such as drugs, HIVinfectionand sexuality have been treated. The residents could inform themselves alsoabout environmental and carrying capacities. Currently the number of visitors is stillsmall and well distributed during the whole year. The population is aware that fishingwill continue to be the main activity for many years. The income from tourism iscomplementary and there are very few people that do not earn income from otheractivities besides tourism (see ibid., p. 17).Participation of the local populationDuring the seminar on community tourism the Cooperative was chosen as the mostdesirable enterprise form, to make sure that income will be distributed equally amongthe population. The main challenge was to combine private with community initiative,preventing that income from tourism would lead to an unbalanced distribution ofincome. At the same time subjects such as motivation and initiative were discussed, tofoster the creativity of the residents with the new project.To organize and structure the project different groups of service providers were built:The food and accommodations group organizes owners of lodgings and restaurants. Inthe cooks‘ and coffee break group members are trained to assist groups during25banquets or to serve coffee and cake during seminars. There is a group of tour guides,the handicraft group, the excursion group and a group of adolescent traineés. Inaddition to the cooperative each group has established its own internal rules,regulating the work of the group. This management regulates internal processes,participation in assembly meetings. Each group has its seat at the Board of Directors`Council of the Cooperative. Today there are more than 70 people registered asmembers and service providers. During events, like a seminar, the number of serviceproviders can reach more than 40 people. Thus a wide income distribution among thefamilies of the community is guaranteed. There is a single condition to become amember of the cooperative: the person must be a member of the Association ofResidents and care for the community – or at least pay the members™ contribution (seeSchärer 2002, pp. 17-18).The groups are managed by the Tourism Coordinator, who is also responsible for thecontrol of reservations and the reception of groups and individual visitors.Events and handicraftsCommunity events, above all the jangada-regatta, generate considerable income forthe residents. The sails are painted by the young of the community with great artistictalent and on the day of the boat race everybody who wants to work sets up hisbusiness on the beach. The diversification of handicrafts already resulted in thecreation of several production groups. The ”labirinto a local stitchery technique (seepictures below) is now also applied for beach fashion sold at the store.Handicraft stichery stichery woman working on lace pillow © W. Krönner26The Association of the Residents and the school own parts of the tourist infrastructure,such as the community guest house, the community center that serves forseminars and courses, and the school-restaurant that serves as locality for banquets,receptions and seminars. The catamarans, which belong to the Association, areadditional sources of income from tourism that benefit the community. With thoseincomes these community organizations maintain their property and finance theirprojects to improve education and the quality of life of the residents.Professionalizing activitiesProfessional training and courses are organized by COOPECANTUR in partnership withthe local school and are open for members and students. The courses are financedwith the income of the cooperative with the support of entities such as the SEBRAE(Secretary for Small and Medium Businesses), Instituto Dragáo do Mar (Agency for thePromotion of Culture in Ceará) and other organizations.The Rotation Credit Fund with a capital of R$ 6.000.00 (US$ 2.000.00) grants credits forthe members of the cooperative up to R$ 800.00 (US$ 260.00) with 6% of interests peryear and 18 months to pay. Of more than 10 loans since 1999, all of them have beenpaid back without delay.Article # 59 of the statutes of COOPECANTUR creates the Social and Educational Fund.20% of the profit is destined to this fund so that the part of the population that doesnot have any direct benefit from tourism, can share some of it. The fund has madedonations for the school, the Land Council that coordinates the lawsuit against the realestate speculator, and for a third-age-group (see Schärer 2002, p. 19).Reinforcement of the local cultureThe residents of Prainha do Canto Verde have a rich cultural and artistic calendar withseveral traditional festivities as Sáo Pedro’s party, with a procession of the jangadas inthe sea, Judas` verses on Easter and Christ`s Passion Play, the Ecological Regatta, andthe Science Fair of the school. The school building is the community’s cultural centerand there is a great variety of events and festivities. Since the implementation of thetourism project an intensification of events and of the participation in communityaffairshas been noted. Young people have a better awareness of their quality of life inthe community and very few of them leave the community, except for their study (seeibid., pp. 19-21).27Environmental standardsMany of the tourists who visit PCV are people with environmental knowledge,members of NGOs, geography and tourism-universities, human rights move-mentsand church groups. Promotion and marketing actions are aimed at this public insteadof trying to attract a huge number of tourists for one-day trips. Some energy isinvested for a raising awareness of bus tourists who appear on Sundays, giving adviceto respect native culture and environment, through educational billboards andpersonal talks with tour guides.Environmentally menacing aspects like high water supply, insufficient or non-existentsanitation conditions and unauthorized garbage disposals of communi-ties like CanoaQuebrada show, how threatened the fragile eco-systems of small coastal communitiesare by mass tourism.Partnerships and cooperationsAt the moment the tourist project of Prainha is not marketed through any travelagencies. But there is a close cooperation and exchanges with NGOs from Brazil andEurope, whose concerns are forms of socially responsible tourism or the impact oftourism on Indigenous populations. Prainha is one of the few community basedtourism destinations of Brazil, which has been included in the book „The GoodAlternative Travel Guide“ published in England.Principles of sustainable tourismThe project of socially responsible tourism of PCV does not only follow the principles ofecological compatibility, but also corresponds to the concept of sustainability. Thecommunity is frequently mentioned as an example of environmental consciousness.Since the project has been started, the awareness of environmental aspects among theresidents has increased significantly, especially among the pupils at school. TheAssociation of the Residents is responsible for garbage collection under a contract withthe municipal government. Selective garbage collection in conjunction with recyclingaims is one of the future projects. At the moment there is a pilot project for the use ofcompost toilets, to reduce groundwater pollution and improve local sanitaryconditions. A system for the disinfection of water with the help of sunrays, called”SODIS (for more see www.sodis.ch) is being tested as well.28Economic development of the tourism projectThe socially responsible tourism project is also economically viable and has beenshowing positive financial results from the start: The profits of R$ 1.458.00 (US$500.00) in 1999, of R$ 4.672.00 (US$ 1.500.00) in 2000 and R$ 2.082.00 (US$ 700.00) in2001 were destined in 20% to the Social and Educational Fund and in 80% for theCapital Fund, for investments in equipment, infrastructure and capacity training. Therehas been a steady increase of overnights, from 1.437 overnights in 1999 up to 2.097 in2000 and 2.845 in 2004. Brazilians and people of the region of Fortaleza compose themain market and only 15% of the 1.250 tourists in 2004 came from foreign countries.The cooperative of tourism sees the best advertisement for the community`s tourismproject in the propaganda of persons who had visited Prainha, recommending it totheir friends. Foreign tourists are informed about the necessity to communicate inPortuguese to benefit from the visit. The results up to now have been very positive andthe community has been the object of several academic papers, master and doctoraldegrees in geography, fishery, social sciences, and tourism. In 1999 the communitywon the award ”TO DO! for its socially responsible and sustainable tourism project ofthe ”Studienkreis für Tourismus in Berlin, and in 2002 the first prize in a contest ofcase studies about Sustainable Tourism offered by SENAC (National Service forTraining in Com-merce) of Brazil (sources: Schärer 2002; Schärer and Schärer 2003).wetlands between the village and Salty Lagoon © W. Krönner5.7 Organic agriculture projectSince 2004 the community is working on a pilot project that is based on biological(organic) agriculture, with an US $35.000 investment. In cooperation with the association”Friends of Prainha, two foundations “ AVINA and ASHOKA, the NGO IDER, the29state government of Ceará, and the municipality of Beberibe, this project will producevegetables and fruits on biological basis (see pictures below), using plots with an areaof about one hectare. The irrigation is provided by a system that is connected withrainwater basins and using pumps that are powered by solar energy, which is anabundant resource in Ceará.Banana & Cashew-fruit© J. F. BorgesSelected families are introduced to the principles of biological farming methods, whichare not only ecologically, but also economically and socially sound.These principles of biological agriculture are summarized in the following guidelines:- The production of plants and the use of raw materials in harmony with naturalcontrol mechanisms;- Optimum – not maximum – production, which is mainly achieved by a planneddiversity;- Soil fertility is not only maintained, but also improved to achieve the optimumproduction, primarily by using renewable resources;- New and appropriate technologies – the result of a better understanding ofnatural biological systems – are an integrated part.- Foods of optimal nutritional value and minimal residual contamination areproduced;- Suitable technologies – especially mechanical – are developed and used;- The people living from the land are also an important factor and must come toplay a central role, reflecting their needs, within the agricultural system.30Even though there is still no market for biological agriculture products, the communitymembers are feeling positive about the achievements. First the products willbe delivered to the village`s school, the restaurants and local residents. Potentials areseen in beach-hotels and other restaurants in the region. All participants of the pilotproject are interested in a successful outcome to create new opportunities for Prainhaas well as for other villages at the coast or in the sertâo (see Caruso 2004, p. 155). Theproject could play a trendsetting role in new approaches to ecological and sustainableforms of local development.Counselling activitiesThe experience of Prainha do Canto Verde shows that sustainable development oftourism is possible when a community is well organized, has a strong will to face thechallenges, and interacts with individuals and organizations that support thecommunity in solidarity with its targets. The dissemination of projects for sociallyresponsible tourism was considered as a next step to introduce the experience in othercommunities. Thus, a community based tourism project is being introduced in thecommunity of Ponta Grossa, Icapui, with very good results. Other communities of theCeará coast, like Retonda (see picture below) are still in the discussion, organizationand planning phase. The leaders of the communities and of the Instituto Terramarexpect that with the time, government people responsible for public policies and fortourism development in Brazil open their eyes to see the different experiences that cancontribute to reduce social inequalities and to include poor communities intosustainable tourism development.31Beach of Redonda “ lobster fishing community © W. KrönnerIn 1998 a new counselling activity was created in the ”Formation of Leadership, atraining course which was directed to the population of local fishing villages, toenhance the capacity of young fishermen and women for the challenges of a modernlocal community development. The subjects start with sustainability of fishing,environmental aspects, management of companies and community associations andreach to concepts of cooperation, association, and political structures.Networking communityThe community of Prainha is a partner of several networks on different levels and indifferent regional, national, and international projects. The fishing community is amember of the ”International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF). Theassociation ”Friends of Prainha do Canto Verde is a strong supporter of thecommunity`s activities, co-financing several projects (10 up to now), together with the”Instituto Terramar and other Swiss foundations and international NGOs.In 2004 Ely Fernandes, secretary of tourism and handicrafts (see picture below),travelled to India, where she participated as representative of Prainha do Canto Verdein the 4th World Social Forum in Mumbai.Beside Esther Neuhaus from the Instituto Terramar and a woman from the Amazonianregion she took part in the workshop ”Community Development in32Ely Fernandes © W. KrönnerSecretary of Tourism of PrainhaDecision Making in Tourism, where she reported about Prainha`s sustainable tourismproject and how it can help to benefit and strengthen not only the local economy, butthe life of a whole community, when it is build upon principles of creative use of thelocal resource base and local participation in planning and implementation.Center for informatics – projectThe use of information and communication technologies (ICT) is gaining worldwideimportance and is a promising area for emerging nations. Properly deployed, they havethe potential to contribute to the global solution of our planet™s most pressingproblems. These problems and aims were agreed upon by the internationalcommunity in the Millennium Declaration of 2000, which declared as its highestpriorities: the fight against hunger and poverty, the improvement of health servicesand of the education system, and the promotion of environmental sustainability.The center for informatics – project of Prainha is taking necessary measures forbridging the digital divide with developed regions, realizing what has been discussedon the World Summit on the Information Society in 2003, as the potential inherent inthe combination of technology and the sharing of knowledge as a means to achievesustainable development and societal innovation fostering people™s participation,creativity and the public domain worldwide. Inclusion in ICTs offers equalopportunities of access to education as well as to all media and jobs (for more seewww.itu.int/wsis; 08. 20. 2005)The residents of Prainha especially the ones that are already familiar with theInternet and e-communication, back on the new possibilities offered by newtechnologies. The School Council of ”Bom Jesus dos Navegantes-School isimplementing an ”Elementary High School with an ”Information and Communi33cation Center, a project with participation of the community. The financing of theschool is guaranteed by the federal Department of Education, contributions of theresidents and donations. Partners of the project are: Instituto Terramar, CDI Ceará(Committee for the Democratization of Informatics), CVT (Center of Tech-nologyTraining) and the NGO IDER (Institute for the Development of Renewable Energies).The main objective of the school is the professional computer qualification of 180families, about 400 women, 350 men and 200 pupils, fostering knowledge ofcommunication-technology, marketing techniques and the use of Internet facilities.Other project targets are the Internet access of the residents and tourists, exchange ofinformation, creation of networks, diffusion of knowledge, e-commercialisation oflocal products, and the global marketing of the secretary of tourism (see Caruso 2004,pp. 156-157).The implementation of the project will start in an air-conditioned room, equipped with10 personal computers, including printer and scanner and an Internet-connection viasatellite. A group of adolescents will be qualified as pc-specialists in graphics, webdesignand other programs. Another group of teachers, local personalities and pupilswill be trained in using the computers. In a second phase the project is expected to payits way in 2007 and to be connected in a regional network with other communities ofthe coastal area.

O paradigma civilizatório globalizado assentado sobre a guerra contra Gaia e contra a natureza está levando todo o sistema da vida a um grande impasse.

Há sinais inequívocos de que a Terra náo agüenta mais esta sistemática exploraçáo de seus recursos  e a ofensa continuada da dignidade de seus filhos e filhas, os seres humanos, excluídos e condenados, aos milhões, a morrer de fome. Mas precisamos estar conscientes de que esta guerra náo será ganha por nós, mas por Gaia. Como observava Eric Hobsbawm na última página de seu conhecido livro A era dos extremos (1994): „O futuro náo pode ser a continuaçáo do passado; nosso mundo corre o risco de explosáo e implosáo; tem de mudar; a alternativa para uma mudança da sociedade é a escuridáo“.Como evitar esta escuridáo que pode significar a derrocada de nosso tipo de civilizaçáo e eventualmente o Armagedon da espécie humana? É imperioso revisitarmos outras civilizações que nos podem inspirar sabedoria ecológica. Há muitas. Escolho a civilizaçáo maya, pelo simples fato de que tive a oportunidade no mês de março deste ano de freqüentar durante 20 dias as regiões da América Central habitadas ainda hoje pelos sobreviventes daquele extraordinário ensaio civilizatório e dialogado longamente com seus sábios, sacerdotes e xamás. Daquela riqueza imensa quero ressaltar apenas dois pontos centrais que sáo grandes ausências em nosso modo de habitar o mundo: a cosmovisáo harmônica com todos os seres e sua fascinante antropologia centrada no coraçáo.

A sabedoria maya vem da mais alta ancestralidade e é conservada pelos avós e pelos pais. Como náo passaram pela circuncisáo da cultura moderna, guardam com fidelidade as antigas tradições e os ensinamentos, consignados também em escritos como no Popol-Vuh e nos Livros de Chilam Balam. A intuiçáo básica de sua cosmovisáo se aproxima muito à da moderna cosmologia e física quântica. O universo é construído e mantido por energias cósmicas pelo Criador e Formador de tudo. O que existe na natureza nasceu do encontro de amor entre o Coraçáo do Céu com o Coraçáo da Terra. A máe Terra é um ser vivo que vibra, sente, intui, trabalha, engendra e alimenta a todos os seus filhos e filhas. A dualidade de base entre formaçáo-desintegraçáo (nós diríamos entre caos e cosmos) confere dinamismo a todo o processo universal. O bem estar humano consiste em estar permanentemente sincronizado com esse processo e cultivar um profundo respeito diante de cada ser. Entáo ele se sente parte consubstancial da Máe Terra e desfruta de toda sua beleza e proteçáo. A própria morte náo é inimiga: é um envolver-se mais radicalmente com o Universo.

Os seres humanos sáo vistos como „os filhos e filhas esclarecidos, os averiguadores e buscadores da existência“. Para chegar a sua plenitude o ser humano passa por três etapas, verdadeiro processo de individuaçáo. Ele poderá ser „gente de barro“: pode falar mas náo tem consistência face às águas pois se dissolve. Desenvolve-se mais e pode ser „gente de madeira“; tem entendimento, mas náo alma que sente porque é rígido e inflexível. Por fim alcança a fase de „gente de milho“: este „conhece o que está perto e o que está longe“. Mas sua característica é ter coraçáo. Por isso „sente perfeitamente, percebe o Universo, a Fonte da vida“ e pulsa ao ritmo do Coraçáo do Céu e do Coraçáo da Terra.

A essência do humano está no coraçáo, naquilo que viemos dizendo há anos, na razáo cordial e na inteligência sensível. É dando centralidade a elas que se mostram pelo cuidado e pelo respeito que podemos nos salvar.

* Teólogo e professor emérito de ética da UERJ