Joana Vasconcelos has been appointed Honorary Matriarch of Pangea, the charity that has created Europe's first large-scale elephant sanctuary and nature reserve in Alentejo.

Joana Vasconcelos has been appointed Honorary Matriarch of Pangea, the charity that has created Europe's first large-scale elephant sanctuary and nature reserve in Alentejo.

Elephants in need from Europe's circuses and zoos will soon have a lifelong home alongside native wildlife, which will also be encouraged to thrive. In turn, they will inspire people to take action for the benefit of elephants and the wider natural world.

In response to her appointment, Joana said: "It is a tremendous privilege to join Pangea in this ambassadorial role. The natural world is a source of inspiration for artists like myself and we have a duty to do all we can to promote a peaceful coexistence with nature, especially considering the challenges of our time. Elephants are one of the most majestic and sentient animals on earth that deserve our respect. It is wonderful that Pangea has chosen Portugal to establish their groundbreaking initiative."

As her first commitment, Joana will represent Pangea in the Great Elephant Migration, where 100 life-size elephant sculptures will travel through US cities to share their coexistence stories. Each elephant will be associated with a conservation NGO and a Matriarch. The global fundraiser is organised by Elephant Family, which Joana has also chosen to support in 2019.

Find out more about the Pangea project and sign up for their newsletter here and follow them on Instagram here

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