The Reunion
of
the Condor and Eagle
Phase II: Creating a
Strong and Enduring Foundation
August 1999
Table of Contents
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The Reunion
of
the Condor and Eagle
Phase II: Creating a
Strong and Enduring Foundation
August 1999
Table of Contents
From May 2nd through May 8th, 1999, the Assembly of First Nations, led by National Chief Phil Fontaine, Contigo International, and the Government of Canada through Aboriginal Business Canada, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Department of Indian and Northern Development, and the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City, sponsored the first ever Canadian Aboriginal Trade Mission to Mexico. A primary purpose of this mission was to open the doors of international trade, development and cooperation between Canadian aboriginal businesses and communities and the indigenous people of Mexico.
This "Aboriginal Economic Round Table and Trade Mission" emerged from the "Declaration of Objectives for the Canada-Mexico Relationship" refined after the Canada-Mexico Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) meeting held in Ottawa in February 1999. The "Declaration of Objectives" document cited trade, development and culture as three key avenues "toward consolidating and advancing bilateral relationships between the indigenous cultures of Mexico and Canada" (cited from a July 1999 report by Siva Chidambaram prepared for Contigo International relative to the Aboriginal Trade Mission).
During the May 1999 Trade Mission, Four Directions International, led by company President Phil Lane Jr., assisted by Lic. Carmen Funcia and Ms Leda Sanchez, Four World's Mexico Advisor's, was able to facilitate the development and signing of a comprehensive trade and social development umbrella agreement designed to establish practical common ground upon which joint venture business initiatives and people centered development and cultural cooperation could take place. This trade and social development agreement was the result of seven years of careful consultation and planning with potential partners and participants in Mexico.
The agreement is called "The Reunion of the Condor and the Eagle" because the People of the South (whose spiritual symbol is the condor), and the People of the North (whose spiritual symbol is the eagle), were reunited through sacred ceremonies and the forging of a modern day trade and development agreement. This reunion took place after more than five (5) centuries of separation brought on by the systematic disruption of indigenous networks, governments, trading links, knowledge systems and collaborative partnerships that had existed all across the Americas for thousands of years prior to the arrival of the Europeans.
The "Reunion of the Condor and the Eagle" agreement was signed by indigenous leaders directly representing some 100,000 indigenous people of Mexico. Signers representing Canadian aboriginal groups, included, members of the Ojibway and Mohawk Nations, as well as representatives of aboriginal business and development organizations. Contigo International, Four Directions International, the Four Worlds International Institute and our Mexican partners in the original agreement, are committed to expanding the agreement to include other indigenous businesses, organizations, governments and peoples that share the vision of building a comprehensive trade and social development network that is truly beneficial to both community level people in Mexico and to their counterparts in Canada.
We feel it is important to note that both the northern and southern partners signing this historic agreement were able to recount very old stories and prophesies which foretold that the indigenous peoples of the Americas would be separated during a period of intense suffering and testing, but that one day the "Condor and Eagle" would be formally reunited. It was, also, foretold that this reunion would result in great prosperity and the spiritual uplifting of all people.
In 1970, Otomi elders called on their people to build a sacred ceremonial site that, they said, would someday be the site of the formal reunion of the Condor and Eagle. This stupendous achievement, when completed, rivaled the ancient Mayan and Aztec temples and amphitheaters of old, both in scale (the contemporary site holds 30,000 people) and in shear artistry and beauty (the site is adorned with beautiful stone carvings of jaguars and other figures, and is topped by a gigantic carving depicting the reunion of the Condor and Eagle). This site arose out of the inspiration, vision and dedication of 30,000 indigenous people, who erected the Ceremonial Centre stone by stone over twelve years of dedicated work. In this construction process, stones from all over Mexico were utilized. The Otomi Ceremonial Centre (at Temoaya, near Mexico City) was dedicated in 1982. It took another sixteen years for the forces that were simultaneously developing in the north (such as the aboriginal healing movement and aboriginal self-government initiatives) to mature to the point that northern people could also extend the hand of friendship and cooperation and be met by the equally strong and determined people of the south.
We realize that this discussion may seem like an unnecessary deviation from the subject of business, trade and development cooperation. Nevertheless, we have taken the space to articulate this aspect of the Reunion of the Condor and Eagle initiative because we know that the inner spiritual dimensions of the Reunion are of cultural importance to the indigenous people who signed and will sign the agreement. This is because the human cultural dimension (consisting of culturally based visions, values, principles and traditional knowledge) that animates the agreement will shape the ways in which business relationships occur, partnerships are built and development processes unfold, all within a framework that is environmentally and socially sustainable and which promotes authentic justice and fairness for all.
The "Condor and Eagle" agreement outlined sixteen (16) guiding principles, which will be used to guide the work ahead. As well, specific work areas were outlined, including the following:
1. ) To establish a Four Worlds Institute of Indigenous Sciences and a Four Worlds College of Human and Community Development in Mexico that will focus on the recovery and further development of indigenous knowledge and on building human capacity for development.
2.) To undertake programs and projects for human and community development at the community level in the Otomi and other indigenous communities of Mexico.
3.) To support the creation of joint economic enterprises that will benefit the communities in which they are rooted, as well as the investments and trading partners who will participate in these ventures.
4.) To ensure that indigenous youth and women participate as benefiting partners in all economic and social development ventures.
5.)To upgrade indigenous children's formal education (pre-school, elementary and high school) so that education is holistic and culturally based and, as well, provides an adequate platform for participation in the information age.
6.) To undertake a variety of environmentally
sustainable projects such as cleaning and revitalizing waterways, introducing
non-polluting community energy sources, the recuperation of traditional
technologies to replace plastics, metal, cardboard and other non-biodegradable
materials, introducing non-polluting human waste disposal technology and
the recovery and application of traditional knowledge related to herbal
medicine, healing and holistic health.
Between June 28th and July 6th,
1999, with the kind support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade, Aboriginal Business Canada and Contigo International,
Four Directions representatives Phil Lane Jr. and Dr. Michael Bopp visited
Mexico City and Cuernavaca in order to follow up on the Trade Mission
and the "Condor and Eagle" agreement. The focus of this visit was to
take the next steps that would lead to moving from talk to action in fulfilling
the details of the agreement. Meetings were held with representatives
of the Canadian embassy, the Department of Social and Economic Development
and other relevant partners in the State of Morelos, representatives of
the Otomi National Council, INI (Mexico’s National Institute Of Indigenous
Affairs), a group of private citizen's committed to assisting in developing
a non-profit foundation that will serve the development interests of indigenous
people in Mexico, as well as with a variety of private individuals and
business groups interested in joint venture business initiatives ranging
from coffee production to the application of environmental technology.
This report will briefly describe the outcomes of these discussions. Our intention is to provide readers with an overview of the scope of the business and development related opportunities that have opened as a result of the work completed to date, as well as to outline how potential Canadian aboriginal (and other) partners can become involved.
The Reunion of the Condor and Eagle initiative combines not-for-profit development work with for-profit business and investment ventures. The core concept is that these two branches of the initiative must work together like the wings of a condor or eagle; each part is necessary and makes a vital contribution to the progress of the bird in flight. These two branches of the work will be carried out jointly by the Four Worlds International Institute for Human and Community Development (our non-profit arm) and Four Directions International (our for-profit arm), along with Contigo International and other interested partners in Canada and Mexico who chose to be part of the agreement. Our intention is to promote sustainable human prosperity and well-being for indigenous people. Widespread research has shown that building up people’s health, human capacity and social capital (trust, cohesion, cooperation) also greatly enhances that peoples’ general capacity for sustaining profit-making ventures. Conversely, a significant portion of the wisely and fairly distributed returns on successful business ventures need to be re-invested in human and community development initiatives if indigenous communities across Mexico and the Americas are to emerge from the cycle of depravation and dependency that has affected them for so long.
The core strategy of our initiative is sustained at the centre of the Reunion of the Condor and Eagle initiative, by the vision, values and guidelines for action described in our sixteen (16) principles for building a sustainable world, and on the strong cultural foundation of the indigenous communities with which we work. These principles emerged out of an intensive formal consultation and participatory research development process with hundreds of indigenous elders, communities and development practitioners across Canada and internationally over the past sixteen years.
2. Development comes
from within
3. Healing is a necessary
part of development
4. Justice
5. No vision, no development
6. Authentic development
is culturally based
7. Interconnectedness
8. No unity, no development
9. No participation,
no development
12. Morals and ethics
13. Learning
14. Sustainability
15. Move to the positive
16. Be the change you
want to see
Based on this consultation and development process, there are four key lines of action that we believe must be woven together to create a sustainable development strategy for the indigenous peoples of Mexico and the Americas.
1. ) Prosperity Development — Involves both micro-economic projects (including access to credit, capacity building and technical support, particularly related to small business developments) and medium to larger enterprises (requiring investment monies, capacity building of indigenous business organizations and technical assistance, particularly related to product development, legal and financial support and marketing).
2 .) Capacity Building — Relating to basic processes of human and community development; healing from trauma (when required); and, both formal and non-formal education and training initially tied to learning requirements for development and business projects on the immediate horizon.
3 .) Governance and Civil Society Development — This sector entails building the capacity of local community and regional organizations and groups to contribute constructively to the common good. As well, it involves developing the capacity of indigenous organization and indigenous leadership to work effectively with their own communities and with the wider world.
4 .) Building
Appropriate Partnerships and Networks
— This work includes connecting indigenous organizations and communities
with viable partners (both from across the indigenous world and from the
wider society); partners that bring a value-added contribution to indigenous
development and business initiatives. It also involves strengthening and
mutually reinforcing indigenous networks, so that the collective strengths
of indigenous people across the Americas can be brought to bear on specific
international, national, regional and local development initiatives.
The process we have already begun involves four (4) phases:
1.) Listening and Visioning
2.) Participatory Planning
3.) Capacity Building
4.) Building The Systems and Mechanisms for People-Centered
Development
All four phases will be repeated many times as the initiative unfolds. Each time it is, the dynamics of action, informed by reflection, and leading in turn to refined action animates the work. In a certain sense, we are re-making the path by walking it and re-mapping the territory as we go. Yet, the innovative dimensions of this work are also guided and inspired by principles and perspectives that are rooted in thousand of years of indigenous life and tradition.
I. Listening and Visioning
We have taken the additional space and effort to explain this strategic orientation because it is critical to the nature and purpose of the Reunion of the Condor and Eagle initiative. Our intention is to provide potential partners with a clear idea that a pattern (i.e. a way of working) has already been established (one that is of the utmost importance to our Mexican indigenous partners) and that anyone who joins us in this initiative should be prepared to honour and work within the patterns and principles which animate it.
Such a principle-centered approach requires that due diligence and thoughtful consultation occur to ensure that each distinct initiative really does honour principles such as sustainable justice and fairness, the meaningful participation and empowerment of people, and respecting the cultural foundations of development.
In summary, we are striving to rebuild indigenous communities and nations so that they are truly sustainable in every way: environmentally, socially, economically, culturally, politically and spiritually. Based on our work over the past thirty years, we know that it is possible to do this in ways that bring real prosperity and well-being to the indigenous communities in the south and in the north who are joined together in this historic Reunion of Condor and the Eagle agreement.
The remainder of the report will be divided into two (2) sections.
This section of our report will highlight discussions and meetings related to development cooperation. Given our wholistic and integrated approach that combines social and economic development, the boundaries between "business" and development are necessarily permeable.We have chosen to address five (5)
key areas in this section:
(A) the Role of the Canadian Embassy
and the Government of Canada;
(B) the Otomi "First Steps" Strategic
Plan;
(C) the State of Morelos Initiative;
(D) the Four Worlds Mexico Foundation
Initiative; and
(E) Opportunities in the States
of Jalisco, Guerrero and Oaxaca.
A. The Role of the Canadian Embassy and the Government of Canada
We were able to share our understanding that Mexico is rapidly approaching a critical political and cultural crossroad. For centuries, indigenous people have been relatively powerless within the framework of the nation state of Mexico. And yet, easily 80% of the entire population of the country have indigenous blood. Although many indigenous people have tried to disassociate themselves from their indigenous roots, this is likely to change as it has in North America and in other indigenous cultures around the world. This change seems to occur as indigenous people awaken culturally, politically and economically, and gradually acquire the will, the capacity and the voice to place their concerns and issues on the agendas of the countries in which they reside. Depending on the approach utilized, this awakening may be confrontative and even violent, or it may unfold with a focus on developing renewed, positive relationships and collective vision resulting in mutually supportive actions between indigenous peoples, government and other relevant partners.
The Four Worlds/Four Directions approach to these issues is to focus our energy and resources in building indigenous capacity for social and economic development. This does not mean that we avoid taking strong stands when necessary, but it does mean that our approach is to build positive alternatives rather than concentrating on tearing down the negative.
It is for this reason that we chose to begin our work with leaders from the Otomi Nation who share our commitment to understand and utilize, in a proactive way, the guiding principles at the core of the Trade and Social Development Agreement. Therefore, our vision and approach to development is to build a visible model of sustainable indigenous development in Mexico that will gradually spread to other areas through attraction and interest as obvious successes are observed rather than through confrontation.
We also met with Mr. Real Boivin, Coordinator of the Canada Fund. We learned that the selection criteria for the Canada Fund in Mexico is almost ideally suited for supporting small scale indigenous grassroots development initiatives, and especially those which address livelihood and micro-economic development issues. The current funding criteria of the Canada Fund in Mexico fits hand-in-glove with the intentions and purposes of the Reunion of the Condor and Eagle initiative — particularly in regards to assisting indigenous communities at the grassroots level to develop their economic capacity.
The Canadian Embassy staff were extremely
helpful, practical and supportive, and have pledged their willingness to
continue to assist our initiative in any way they can. As we move forward,
we want to acknowledge that their assistance has already been invaluable
to us, and we have no doubt we will continue to rely on them for advice
and support particularly in navigating the sometimes difficult to read
political waters of contemporary Mexico.
Introduction
The dynamic consultation that occurred during this day-long meeting, held at the Hotel Sevilla Palace in Mexico City, resulted in the development of a draft strategic plan outlining the goals and first steps to be undertaken in implementing the Condor and Eagle agreement.
Otomi National Council participants were:
The Plan
What follows is a brief summary of the plan arrived at by consensus of the participants in the meeting.
The Otomi Nation, in partnership with Four Worlds/Four Directions, will establish the "Four Worlds Institute of Indigenous Sciences of Mexico." This institute will consist of:
Once the consultation team completed the conceptual development of this model, the next step was to identify practical next steps to be taken in order to move immediately to an implementation phase.
The following was agreed upon as "next steps."
1. Campus Site
The Ceremonial Center at Temoaya (near Mexico City) will serve as the main campus site for the Indigenous Institute.
2. Training Program
A training program will be developed and launched within the next year to train indigenous community leaders and members of the Otomi National Council in areas related to:
It is initially proposed to hold six sessions of four days each, and to focus these sessions on the practical problems Otomi communities are facing. Between sessions, participants would return home to implement what they have learned, and to train a core group of people to work on local development processes. It is proposed that this "Indigenous Development Leadership" program would be the first accredited program of the Institute.
3. Research
There is a clear need to elaborate an Otomi National Council development plan from the grassroots community level up. A process of participatory action research is proposed which would see learners from the "Indigenous Development Leadership Program" facilitating processes of consultation and planning at the local level (resulting in a documented local or regional development plan). Following these (Phase II) meetings, representatives from all nine (9) Otomi regions would bring their local development plans to a series of three Otomi national conferences, (Phases III, IV and V). The first conference would forge a draft national development plan. Then delegates would return with the draft plan to receive feedback and to facilitate further consultation so that local communities have a direct voice in building the national plan. The second conference would work on revising the plan, based on grassroots’ input. A second round of community review would ensure that what was proposed as a role for the Otomi National Council truly supports and enhances local development aspirations and processes.
Finally, (Phase VI) the Otomi National Council would finalize and adopt the plan.
The research and development function at the core of this work (entailing community consultation, plan-making and documentation) would constitute the first strategic line of action to be carried out by the Research Center of the Four Worlds Institute of Indigenous Sciences of Mexico.
4. Trade and Commercial Development
The concept of an Indigenous Trade Centre that would provide technical assistance and practical support to indigenous commercial ventures will be implemented (first steps) by focusing on the development and marketing of a few primary agricultural and village level craft products including corn, coffee, vanilla, decorative flowers and plants, herbal products (medicines and personal care products) and the establishment of an indigenous women’s arts and crafts workshop.
It is proposed that two mechanisms be established to support this development.
(A) A community development corporation — which is a legal for-profit entity that is owned by members of the Otomi Nation, and which carries out commercial ventures (such as exporting coffee). The profits of a Community Development Corporation are ploughed back into the work of the corporation, to support and develop further indigenous business initiatives. We propose that 10% of profits be channeled to fund social development initiatives (an indigenous tax) such as youth programs, cultural development programs, education programs, etc.
(B) A revolving micro-credit loan fund — which would be an Otomi Nation program that makes access to micro-credit for borrower groups needing small loans to fuel agricultural and commercial ventures. We propose to model this program after the widely successful Grameen Bank of Bangladesh in cooperation with other micro-credit agencies in Mexico with a similar vision who would like to be partners in this initiative.
Step one in developing this important
area will be to hold a series of youth and culture conferences involving
the use of indigenous performing arts, ceremonies, and training for indigenous
youth to be cultural ambassadors to other indigenous youth and to the wider
Mexican society.
Phil Lane Jr. and
a good brother, an Internationally recognized Mexican sculpture and artist
with his new sculpture "The Reunion of the Condor and the Eagle"
6. Staff
It is understood that the indigenous
institute will eventually require full-time staff and a director and that
first steps in moving to that level will involve securing stable funding
for the initiatives outlined above.
7. First Priority
The ultimate facilitator of all these
development initiatives is the Otomi National Council. It is understood
that securing core funding to pay for an office, at least a skeleton staff,
and basic communication equipment (phones, faxes, computers, etc.) for
the Council must be accorded top priority, and that carrying out the projects
outlined above would be the first priority of the Otomi National Council
staff.
The result of this meeting was a formal invitation from Ing. Jorge Delgado Herrera, the Secretary of Economic Development, to undertake a pilot project in partnership with his department and five selected villages in the region. (Appendix A)
It was mutually agreed that Four
Worlds/Four Directions would return to Morelos in order to consult with
the proposed pilot communities and to develop a detailed plan of how to
proceed. To assist in this stage of development, the Government of Morelos
has offered to provide food and lodging for our return trip to visit their
indigenous communities.
This section of the report will briefly outline various for-profit business opportunities that have emerged as a result of our meetings during our June/July 1999 visit to Mexico City. All of the potential initiatives listed below represent real investment and profit-making opportunities for Canadian aboriginal businesses.
The initiatives we have selected to list are representative (but not at all inclusive) of the opportunities we have identified. We are prepared to assist any interested aboriginal groups to become involved in any of the following initiatives.
In this category, two commodities stand out as being relatively advanced and ready for final product development and international distribution, (a) coffee and (b) herbal medicines and self care products.
We propose to develop a line of indigenously grown, harvested, roasted and packaged organic coffee. Towards this goal we have partnered with the United Nations Coffee Company, a family owned and operated business led by Executive Director, Lic. Fausto Cantu Peña. Sr. Cantu's family has been in the coffee business for three generations. Sr. Cantu is also, the founder and coordinator of the Academy of Coffee and served as the Director of the Mexico Institute of Coffee (1970 - 1976), as well as, the President of the International Coffee Grower's Association. These third-generation coffee specialists are capable of bypassing transnational coffee companies and middlemen, and thereby offering indigenous growers technical support and fair market prices; and of guaranteeing the highest quality of organic-growing, processing, bean selection and roasting possible in the industry. Because of the vast variation in Mexican geography (from tropical coast to alpine) almost any type of coffee in the world can be grown in Mexico. The United Nations Coffee Company is, also, in full support of the empowerment process we are proposing for business development in indigenous communities through the Reunion of the Condor and Eagle initiative.
We propose to market top grade organic coffee (including decaffeinated coffee) in a variety of roasts and blends, with the additional feature that a portion of the profits from every pound of coffee sold is guaranteed to go back to indigenous peoples’ development programs.
Our initial idea includes setting up a network of aboriginal distributors across North America. The United Nations Coffee Company, also has offered to assist us with their marketing relationships in North America.
Start-up investment required to jump-start this initiative is approximately two (2) million dollars, with an expected return on investment of 14-17% annually.
2. Herbal Products
The indigenous people of Mexico have preserved a cornucopia of traditional herbal remedies and products. Four Directions, through our partnership with Lotus Light Inc., has distribution access to some 4,000 Canadian and U.S. health and wellness stores, internet sales and other related marketing outlets in North America, as well as a network of associated wholesale outlets in Europe. In addition, Lotus Light has just completed an agreement with the Aetna Insurance company to exclusively provide Lotus Light's health and wellness products, at reduced prices, to Aetna's 16,500,000 clients. We have, also completed a search for and preliminary discussions with an ethno-botanical services company with considerable experience in working with indigenous groups around the world to develop indigenous herbal products.
An important aspect of our approach in this work is to protect the "intellectual property rights" of indigenous producers, while assisting them to develop products that have international marketability. An initial investment of $400,000 is required to kick-start this process, out of which a new product line will be researched and developed ready for marketing.
3. Environmental Technologies
Four Directions International has negotiated Mexican and international distribution rights for a line of environmental technologies that include the following. (Appendix A).
(A) Salinated land recovery — to remove accumulated salts from soil, thus making them able to again support agricultural activity.
(B) Desalination of seawater — an electrolysis-based process that changes seasalt to potassium sulphate (a natural fertilizer) thus making it possible to irrigate agricultural land and to water cattle with (converted) seawater at a very low cost compared to other current desalination technologies.
(C) Wastewater treatment — an inexpensive, odour-free technology for converting sewage and greywater from cities and towns for agricultural use. Ideal for small to medium-sized cities and towns. The end product is suitable for agricultural use or for use in municipality beautification projects.
(D) Polymers [Polymers Plus]— this agricultural marvel reduces water usage by as much as 50% and, because it expands and contracts as it absorbs and releases moisture, it can completely eliminate the need for tilling the soil. By adding it to any soil, the crops show higher yields with fewer nutrients used because of the retention factor. This low cost product is capable of holding five hundred (500) times its weight in water, making it possible to literally turn deserts into market gardens.
(E) Paulownia [Pacific Tree Company] — This is the fastest growing tree in the world and can be used for reforestation, soil remediation and beautification projects. Growth rates are being experienced of as much as 7.7 to 9.2 meters in the first year, with harvesting of this beautiful hard wood starting in the third year. This hardwood tree developed in China and Australia is suitable for furniture-making; its broad leaves provide a great amount of shade, for intercropping, its roots grow down as far as the tree grows up (thus reaching water when other trees would die); and, it has proven to be entirely compatible with almost any bioregion and elevation in the world (there are many varieties). Tests involving intercropping with food and other crops have proven highly successful.
(F) Green Block [Green Block Building Supplies] — This is a styrofoam building block that is set in place and filled with concrete thus reducing the time of construction for the average 3,000 sq. ft. home down to two days from foundation to roof installation while increasing the insulation factors 50% to 100%. This can be used for commercial or residential application up to two stories high.
(G) Water Savers World Wide — This barnacle removing system eliminates growth from the hulls of ships, docks, piers, locks, etc. U.S. Navy and Coast Guard tests demonstrated no negative affects on electrical equipment, as well as, a 13% increase in efficiency. The cost is a fraction of normal maintenance with no dry dock down time and significantly reduced fuel costs.
(H) Environmental and Agricultural Solutions
Environmentally safe products such
as:
-Proterra, a bio-stimulating plant
enhancing enzyme.
-Panterra, a soil stabilizing enzyme
used as an alternative to asphalt roads.
-Protective Coatings used for concrete,
steal, marine, plastics, and woods, providing protection against corrosives,
abrasion, impact, fire and other attacks. -Hydrodine Ultra-Pure Water Treatment,
an iodine-based disinfection protection against water-born microbial diseases.
-Live Liquid Micro-Organisms used
to control, prevent, and/or remove organic sludges, ammonia, greases, fats,
oils and industrial wastes.
4. Government Procurement
Four Directions International has established a working partnership with a Mexican procurement firm that specializes in purchasing to fill the needs of the Mexican government. This firm purchases for hospitals and clinics, schools, public works and transportation installations, etc., run by the federal government throughout Mexico. Through this relationship, Four Directions International will be able to circulate lists of procurement opportunities to interested Canadian aboriginal firms.
6. Aboriginal Business and Development Services
Four Directions International is
in the process of setting up a business and development support services
company in Mexico. This service will have a Canadian and a Mexican office,
and will provide translation and logistical services to aboriginal (and
other) companies wishing to travel to Mexico and do business there. It
will arrange secure travel and a reasonable hotel with a state of the art
business centre, set up meetings, provide guide and translation services
during missions to Mexico, and will assist in the preparation of reports
and proposals flowing from these trips. We anticipate being able to provide
a similar service for any country in Latin America within a year. Toward
achieving this goal, we were able to negotiate a price of 650.00 pesos
per night, plus taxes, for Four Directions International related guests
at the Hotel Sevilla Palace, 105 Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico D.F., 06030,
telephone 011-52-5-705-2800. This beautiful hotel is strategically located
in the heart of downtown Mexico City, is close to the Canadian Embassy
and is equipped with a "state of the art" business centre, a beautiful
roof top gym and swimming pool, a very reasonably priced restaurant and
a very friendly and helpful staff. We have also, had discussions with and
received a letter of interest, participation and support of this and other
related Mexico initiatives from Las Cuatro Flechas de Mexico (Four Arrows),
an independent organization composed primarily of indigenous peoples from
North-Central Mexico. (Appendix C) This immediate business opportunity
requires an investment of $85,000 dollars, and is expected to net a 20-25%
profit margin after the first year.
Next steps in implementing the Reunion
of the Condor and Eagle initiative involve the following.
(A) Acquiring development dollars to fund various aspects of the Four Worlds International Institute for Indigenous Sciences initiative, and most particularly money to fund the Leadership Training Program, the Otomi Nation development, research and planning process, establishing the Trade Center and the revolving micro-credit program, and establishing the Otomi National Council office.
(B) Traveling to Morelos, Oaxaca, Jalisco and Guerrero to carry out Phase II planning for pilot project's with indigenous communities (in partnership with the State governments).
(C) Completing the development of the Four Worlds Mexico Foundation and beginning a fund-raising drive within Mexico and internationally.
(D) Developing a detailed business plan for the Organic Coffee Marketing initiative and the Herbal Products initiative.
(E) Follow up meetings with potential
investors in the environmental technology opportunities to ensure that
they have been able to carry out their product testing.
(F) Conducting our own search for
other potential investors in the technologies.
(G) Legal research and market development work in North America related to the various products we intend to import and export.
(H) The set up of the Business Services
Center in Canada and Mexico City.
We anticipate returning to Mexico
in September/October in order to pursue all of these and other developments.
We have identified three specific areas for which we hope to obtain help from the Canadian Government taking the next steps to implement the Reunion of the Condor and Eagle initiative.
(1.) Ongoing guidance related to the political realities in Mexico, so that we are able to obtain the necessary political backing within Mexico for our work, while at the same time avoiding the mine fields and pit falls of what is clearly a rapidly changing and potentially volatile situation. Our focus is, and will remain on promoting the prosperity and well-being of indigenous communities.
(2.) Assistance is securing stable project funding that will allow us to build the system we have described in this report. We estimate a minimum requirement of $250,000/year for three years to sustain core development activities and fully actualize the proposed projects. Hopefully, with Canadian Government support, we will be able to secure partial funding from international development agencies.
(3.) Assistance in levering special funds for specific development related lines of action, such as the micro credit scheme, and assistance in attracting investors for the business ventures such as organic coffee, herbal products and environmental technology.
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