My name is Balthazar Sellier, and I am a 23-year-old student. Born and raised in Paris until the age of fifteen, I moved to Oslo, Norway, to complete my secondary education. Looking back, such a big step at a young age shaped my passion to discover countries and engage with cultures that are different from mine. After working in peace and climate institutes in the city that I love a lot, Oslo, I decided to leave Europe for a bigger trip: South America.

A four-months trip to Ecuador and Peru aroused my curiosity about the region, its people, cultures, and pressing issues such as socio-environmental conflicts.

Therefore, I pursued a research master in international development at the University of Amsterdam to gain a deeper understanding of global and Latin American environmental governance. My aim was not just academic – I envisioned returning to the region to immerse myself in a local project. This intercultural exchange would allow us to collaborate and understand one another, creating lasting partnerships for impactful change.

I am in Ecuador now to conduct fieldwork for my thesis on Peasant’s resistance movement against hydroelectric projects. The project led by Ana Trujillo, my supervisor, focuses on protecting rivers and defending the riverine communities. Here, in the department of Caldas, hydroelectric projects are proliferating at the cost of both the environment and the livelihoods of the peasant communities. The idea deeply resonated with me. I envisioned exchanging with the University of Caldas to gain a deeper understanding of the local context, and speaking with the peasants to grasp their feelings and experiences firsthand. By gathering these insights, we can shape a (new) narrative – one that highlights who the peasants truly are, the challenges they face and the profound significance the river holds for them. Through telling their stories, we can underscore the critical importance of protecting rivers.