Niède Guidon Brazil

Niède Guidon (Brazil, 1933) Niède Guidon is a professor of archaeology and a public intellectual who combines scientific research, cultural knowledge, and social and environmental activism to make significant contributions to local culture. She has identified over 700 prehistoric sites, among which are 426 walls of ancient paintings and evidence of early human habitation in Parque Nacional Serra de Caprivara in northeastern Brazil. She is responsible for the preservation, development and management of the park, as well as the protection of endangered flora and fauna, and has set up a cultural centre and museum in the park, and the Museum Foundation of American Man in São Raimundo Nonato. Recognising the importance of local participation for real development, she has set up community support nuclei, which provide social services, health care and education for local communities, as well as training local staff in ecology, prehistory and restoration. With meticulous scholarship, she has recorded over 35,000 images, published numerous papers and books, and organised conferences. This Award to Niède Guidon honours her dedication and achievements in protecting and promoting this local and world cultural heritage.

2005 Awards Book here.