First Indigenous journalist to interview the SG : Shared by Niloufar Pourzand

Wajã Xipai: ‘As an Indigenous man, I know very well the pain of the forest, because its body is an extension of ours.’ Photograph: Soll

I am the first Indigenous journalist to exclusively interview António Guterres. How many others will listen?

Waja Xipai, 

The Guardian, 28 October 2025. Click here for the article

Summary
Waja Xipai, an Indigenous journalist from Amazonia, recounts his historic interview with UN Secretary-General António Guterres ahead of COP30. Conducted from a remote forest clearing with unstable internet and minimal equipment, the conversation centered on climate justice, Indigenous leadership, and the irreversible overshoot of the 1.5 °C limit. 

Guterres admitted that humanity has already missed the 1.5 °C target and stressed that protecting Indigenous peoples and forests must now become a top global priority. For Xipai, the experience underscored the disconnect between international pledges and on-the-ground realities — a reminder that inclusion means little unless those most affected are truly heard.

Quotes

“The interview took place at the edge of the forest … Silence filled the other side of the camera until a figure appeared.”
“Defending the rights of Indigenous communities should be a top priority for global leaders.” — António Guterres
“We don’t want to see the Amazon become a savannah.”
“How many others will listen?”