As with every edition of REMOTE Immersion, we’ve prepared special moments of dialogue and inspiration through our REMOTE Talks & Seeds sessions in Chapada dos Veadeiros. This time, the discussions revolve around the theme “Cultural Diversity & Biodiversity: Roots of Latin America”, highlighting the urgency of protecting nature and honoring ancestral cultures as pillars of the tourism we want to foster and see thrive.
Each evening, REMOTE Talks & Seeds will spark meaningful conversations about the role we, as travel professionals, play in promoting nature-based tourism that flourishes in harmony with local communities — especially in remote destinations like Chapada dos Veadeiros. Protecting Latin America’s vast and rich biomes goes beyond safeguarding trees from deforestation. It is about preserving the ancestral wisdom of traditional communities, such as the Indigenous peoples of the Amazon and the Quilombolas, who for centuries have cared for the landscapes of the Cerrado — the astonishing Brazilian savanna where our boutique travel show proudly takes place in this edition.
When conscious travelers encounter both cultural diversity and biodiversity in remote destinations, they discover that coexistence, respect and interdependence are the true pathways to sustainability — and peace.
We are thrilled to reveal the inspiring lineup of speakers who will guide these conversations during our evenings in Chapada dos Veadeiros.
October 20
REMOTE HOST
Cerrado, the Brazilian Savanna, and the Ecology of Fire
Ivan Anjo Diniz (BRA) – Tour Guide, Firefighter and Coordinator of Rede Contra Fogo
The Brazilian Cerrado is the second-largest biome in South America and the most biodiverse savanna in the world. Its unique landscapes and countless waterfalls attract nature lovers from all over the planet to remote destinations such as Chapada dos Veadeiros. But why is fire such a constant threat here, and how has the local civil society organized to fight it?
These are some of the questions addressed by Ivan Anjo Diniz, a passionate resident who has worked as a tour guide in this region for over 15 years and serves on the frontlines of wildfire combat.
In addition to welcoming travelers, Ivan is the General Coordinator of Rede Contra Fogo (“Against Fire Network,” in Portuguese), an NGO that has been mobilizing the local community since 2017. Author of the book Essential Guide to Chapada dos Veadeiros, Ivan will offer an essential introduction for those setting foot in these crystalline lands for the first time, helping them understand the uniqueness of this territory and its people.
October 21
REMOTE TALK
Restoring Indigenous Dignity through Ethnotourism and Bioeconomy
Tashka Yawanawá (BRA) – Coordinator of the Yawanawá Sociocultural Association/ASCY
Chief Tashka Yawanawá is a leader for the Yawanawá people in the Brazilian state Acre, located in the Amazon. At just 25, after having the chance to live in major cities and study English in the United States, he assumed responsibility for a community struggling to recover from centuries of oppression. Together with his wife Laura, an Indigenous woman from Mexico, he launched a cultural renaissance through Yawanawá festivals, revived ancestral rituals, and became a source of inspiration for Indigenous leaders all over the world. Tashka expanded Yawanawá territory, founded a cooperative to secure fair economic opportunities and developed bioeconomy partnerships — such as the sustainable use of urucum dye. Through ethnotourism, he has also inspired international visitors to embrace a deeper connection with nature. Tashka will share how combining cultural revitalization with sustainable livelihoods has been essential to restoring his people’s autonomy, identity and dignity.
REMOTE SEEDS PANEL
Indigenous Tourism in the Amazon: Challenges and Solutions for Authentic and Ethical Experiences
Tourism in Indigenous Territories, one of the most memorable highlights of any journey into the world’s largest tropical forest, has grown in Amazonian countries while facing complex logistical and ethical challenges.
As the region prepares to welcome a surge of international travelers for and after the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), scheduled to take place this November in Belém, Brazil, this REMOTE SEEDS PANEL will explore how industry players offering Indigenous experiences address the following issues:
- How can we ensure comfort and safety for high-end international travelers in remote Amazonian villages?
- What kinds of partnerships can companies establish with Indigenous communities that are fair and mutually beneficial?
- Is it possible to maintain cultural authenticity while meeting luxury standards, without turning these experiences into “touristy shows”?
The panel will feature REMOTE professionals from jungle lodges, a boat operator and a local tour company, representing different Amazonian countries, along with a special Indigenous guest, to share practical solutions drawn from their personal experiences.
Panelists
Brian Schon, True Colombia Travel (COL)
Oscar Lopez, Napo Wildlife Center (ECU)
Pierina Carranza, Rainforest Expeditions (PER)
Rodrigo Salles, Untamed Amazon (BRA)
Tashka Yawanawá, Yawatxivan Community (BRA)
Panel Mediator
Daniel Nunes, REMOTE Seeds Content Curator (BRA)
October 22
REMOTE TALK
Architecture of the Senses: Gateways for Connecting with Nature
Marko Brajovic (CRO) – Founder and architect at Atelier Marko Brajovic
He spent his childhood in a bungalow nestled on the Adriatic coast of Croatia, where his father worked as a hotel director. Marko Brajovic’s sensory memories of this Mediterranean landscape remained, providing lasting inspiration in his career as an award-winning architect, designing sustainable buildings across diverse biomes. Since 2006, Brazil has been his home and the setting for many of his most acclaimed projects.
“The specificities of a region shape the way people inhabit a place, relate to one another and form what we understand as culture,” he says. His creative process begins with biomimicry — understanding how nature operates in each biome —, then observing how human culture responds to that environment, and finally, how architecture can express this magical interplay between nature and culture.
In this biographical journey, Brajovic will take us from his immersive experiences in indigenous dwellings to his designs for five-star lodges in the jungle.
REMOTE TALK
Afrotourism and Quilombola Communities: Paths to Sustainable Futures
Thaís Rosa (BRA) – Researcher and CEO of Connecting Territories
Home to the largest Black population outside Africa, Brazil holds deep legacies of African ancestry and resistance woven into its landscapes and traditions that go far beyond iconic cities such as Salvador and Rio de Janeiro. In remote regions like Chapada dos Veadeiros, Quilombola communities — descendants of Africans who escaped enslavement and established autonomous settlements — preserve a living cultural heritage that honors the past while shaping a sustainable, inclusive future.
At the forefront of this movement is Thaís Rosa, CEO of Connecting Territories, a heritage-based travel company, and Afrotourism consultant for UNESCO and Brazil’s Ministry of Tourism.
In her talk, Thais will explore how tourism can be a powerful tool for social justice when fostering genuine connections between travelers and Black communities, challenging extractive tourism models and instead offering immersive experiences that respect and amplify Afro-Brazilian knowledge.
