In April 2025, International Rivers’ long-time friend Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari received the Goldman Environmental Prize for her work securing legal protections for the Marañón River. International Rivers was proud to nominate Mari Luz, celebrate her win at the Goldman Prize ceremony, and, together with the Goldman Foundation, co-host a webinar with Mari Luz and other defenders detailing their victories in securing protections for their rivers.
We also hosted river defenders, dedicated allies, and Mari Luz to celebrate the remarkable work being done to protect vital waterways across the globe. Mari Luz captivated us with her journey of perseverance and ultimate triumph for the Marañón. Board member, Donna House, offered wisdom on safeguarding bio-cultural heritage and bridging Indigenous knowledge with scientific approaches. Monti Aguirre, Latin America program lead, reminded us why this work is so important. Throughout the evening, the room buzzed with conversation and
camaraderie—a true celebration of our vibrant community.
Mari Luz, Monti Aguirre, and friends gather in San Francisco to celebrate river defenders.
The 2025 Goldman Prize winners (Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize)
Watch the Webinar
The movement to protect and restore rivers has never been stronger. Recent victories include successful court cases granting rivers legal personhood, no-go zones preventing new dam construction, and the world’s largest dam removal project on the Klamath River. This 75-minute webinar hosted by International Rivers and the Goldman Foundation featuring Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari and other Goldman Prize winners offers key lessons for the future of river protection and other environmental issues.
“The Marañón connected us before we even spoke — its winding path from the Andes down through Peru’s Loreto region held both of our attention, our concern, our hope. It was here, in waters threatened by oil spills, illegal logging, and the looming shadows of dams, that I came to understand her strength—and the power of the women who stand with her.” –Monti Aguirre, Latin America Director of International Rivers.
Mari Luz Canaquiri Murayari and her work
2010
Following an oil spill, Mari Luz helps organize local women into the Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana (“Hard-Working Women”), a movement formed to defend the rights, territory, and river of women from 29 Indigenous communities in Peru.
2014
Kukama leader Emilse Flores, Huaynakana Kamatahuara Kana, and the Instituto de Defensa Legal file a groundbreaking legal action against the Hidrovía Amazónica project for failing to carry out proper consultation with Indigenous peoples.
2021
Supported by International Rivers, the Earth Law Center, and the Instituto de Defensa Legal, Mari Luz and her organization file a landmark lawsuit demanding legal personhood for the Maranon River.
2022
The Hidrovía Amazónica project is suspended.
2024
In a victory for Indigenous communities, a court in Nauta declares the Marañón River as the subject of rights—the right to flow freely, to be free from pollution, and to be restored.
2025
Mari Luz is honored with the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize.
Learn more
From community meetings on river banks, to hearings at the highest courts and beyond, Mari Luz and Indigenous defenders are leading the global movement to protect our rivers for current and future generations. Learn more about her and the other brave women leading movements, shaping narratives, and igniting change across communities and continents.