AN AMAZON tour guide is set to visit Newport next week as part of a two-week tour of the UK.

Quichua Indian Javier Hualinga is one of Ecuador’s top Amazonian guides and lives in a village deep in the rainforest.

As part of the tour- which includes a visit to parliament - Mr Hualinga will visit Newport’s MVRRS Training.

The trip was organised by Wales sustainability champion Phil Williams - who organises trips to the Amazon - and is based around creating a dialogue on rainforest preservation.

“Javier’s way of life and culture is so far removed from ours and this is a unique opportunity for people to meet someone from the rainforest and hear his views and ideas,” he said.

“The Amazonian people see their main aim in life to protect the rainforest not just for themselves but for everyone and they can’t understand why outsiders (us) seem to want to destroy it, especially as we all benefit from a healthy rainforest.”

He added: “His home and village is deep in the Amazon but their way of life is threatened by illegal logging, oil and gold exploration.”

The tour marks Mr Hualinga’s first visit to Wales and you can meet him at MVRRS Training between 1pm-4pm on Thursday, March 29.

For more, visit:www.plan-iteco.com