Inside E-LAW: Francisco Ferrada, Carolyn Sykora, Nancy Hughes, 2003 Annual Meeting

Working Exchange Fellow
Francisco Ferrada, Santiago, Chile

Rafting the McKenzie River, Oregon. Left to right: Francisco Ferrada, Nora Rosati, Jennifer Gleason, Matthew Mixer

Francisco Ferrada traveled to Eugene for a Working Exchange Fellowship this spring. He is a lawyer at Fiscalia del Medio Ambiente (FIMA), a pioneering public interest law firm in Chile. He was joined by his wife, Nora Rosati, an appellate court judge.

Francisco is leading FIMA`s efforts to protect and compensate a community contaminated by lead- and arsenic-laced mining wastes brought from Sweden to the northern city of Arica near Chile`s border with Peru.

While in Eugene, Francisco worked on the Arica case, learned about U.S. environ-mental law and environmental non-profit organizations, and studied English at the University of Oregon`s American English Institute. Francisco`s Fellowship was made possible by generous support from the Homeland Foundation.

2003 E-LAW Annual International Meeting

Steve Johnson, Fisheries Biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, speaks with E-LAW advocates about efforts to rehabilitate the Ten-Mile Creek watershed in Yachats, Oregon.

In March, E-LAW U.S. hosted 66 public interest environmental attorneys from 34 countries for the E-LAW Annual International Meeting. Many advocates commented that this was the most valuable meeting ever.

On her return home, Eva Kovacechova wrote: "This past week was just another wonderful, inspiring, powerful and empowering event which gives me an energy for literally next six months at least. I feel much stronger and encouraged, after stories from all of you, finished by M.C. Mehta`s key note speech. I feel I can change the world now!" Eva is a staff attorney at the Center for Environmental Public Advocacy, home of E-LAW Slovakia.

Many grassroots advocates work in isolation, without access to the legal, scientific, and communications tools they need. E-LAW annual meetings break this isolation by bringing together environmental advocates from around the world for face-to-face training and collaboration. The 2002 meeting was hosted by E-LAW partners in Guadalajara, Mexico.

This year`s meeting welcomed advocates from Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Liberia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Uruguay, and the U.S.

Thanks to the following companies for their generous donations: Bridgeport Brewing Company, Chateau Lorane, Emerald Valley Kitchen, Hinman Vineyards, King Estate Winery, Oregon Chai, New Belgium Brewing Company, Rogue Ale, Secret House Vineyards, Trader Joe`s.

Nancy Hughes

Nancy Hughes, E-LAW volunteer
Many E-LAW U.S. supporters are familiar with Nancy Hughes. Nancy generously offers her time, energy, and support to E-LAW U.S. She opens her home for E-LAW visitors and functions, and recently traveled with Lori Maddox to Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala to work with advocates who are protecting the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Nancy is the founder of Stove Team International, a non profit organization working to solve medical and environmental problems by bringing fuel-efficient stoves to the people of the world.

Welcome Back!

Carolyn Sykora has joined the U.S.  office of the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (E-LAW U.S.) as Education Coordinator.  She will coordinate fellowships for international visitors and help visiting fellows connect with schools and community groups.  She will also work with interns and volunteers who are helping E-LAW U.S.  protect the global environment through law.  Carolyn served as E-LAW U.S.
Development Director from 1992 to 2001.