THE PAPILLON SOURCE INNER AFRICA.pdf

PRESS KIT

GOING BACK TO THE
ROOTS: THE PAPILLON
SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA
LABEL
EL4DEV - January 2021

1|Page

TABLE OF CONTENTS

•Once upon a time, the Congo basin
…………………………….............Page 2
•The African Butterfly…………….Page 3
•Cameroon : the 1st ambassador .. Page 4
•The city of Ngompen : the jewel of the
forest.………………………..….....Page 5
•Africa, cradle of change………....Page 7
•Our vision for the continent……..Page 8
•Join the movement !…….............Page 9

GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: THE PAPILLON SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA LABEL | EL4DEV - January 2021

2|Page

Once upon a time, the Congo basin

The Congo basin’s forest is the 2nd largest after the Amazonia and represents 8% of the world’s forest
area. The forest is shared among six countries namely Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic
of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Centrafrican Republic.
It is a tropical evergreen rainforest, a type of forest declining on all continents and only existing in a
fragmented way in Africa.
The Congo’s basin forest is the richest in specific diversity, for both flora and fauna in general (up to
hundreds of trees species per hectare against a maximum of 10 in mild weathers). It is the most
important niche of biodiversity in Africa and more than 80 million of people live in or nearby the forest.
The forest is threatened by the cutting and illegal trading of wood, but also agricultural expansion and
urbanization. Many people, like the pygmies, animal and floral species depend on the forest to survive.
The Papillon Source project gave itself the mission to be a force for the salvation and rise of this forest.

GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: THE PAPILLON SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA LABEL | EL4DEV - January 2021

3|Page

The African Butterfly
The Papillon Source is a network of green and autonomous
cities promoting scientific partnership and the return to the
roots.
Project under the EL4DEV program, the Papillon Source cities
will be open to all world’s citizens and will reunite on all five
continents today’s actors for a better tomorrow. Depending
on the geographical areas of implantation, the project will
count multiple labels dedicated to the cities in specific
geographical areas.
The Inner Africa label of the Papillon Source covers all the countries on the continent, from the
Mediterranean coasts to the Indian Ocean’s islands. It means that the African countries that are
members of the Papillon Méditerranée label are also part of the Inner Africa label.
Africa, the cradle of humanity. The continent is often represented under a dark light, as a land of
violence and lacks. It couldn’t be further from the truth. Africa is home to great civilizations, and a land
of unique material, cultural and demographical wealth.
It was therefore logical for the
continent to have its own label.
The Inner Africa label was first
launched by a project of agro-climatic
and touristic city in Cameroon’s forest
region, within the Congo basin’s
forest. The primary objectives of this
project are the practice of sustainable
forestry management, the conciliation
between economic and human
development,
and
nature’s
preservation.

GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: THE PAPILLON SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA LABEL | EL4DEV - January 2021

4|Page

Cameroon : the 1st ambassador
« Cameroon has birthed me and seen me grow. I was
born to Cameroonian mother in Edea, in the Littoral
region. I grew up in Douala, the economic capital of
this beautiful country. As the promoter of this
project, it was natural for me to choose my maternal
roots to host the first city of the Papillon Source in
sub-Saharan Africa.»
Paul Elvere DELSART, creator of the Papillon Source

Africa’s miniature
Located at the junction of West and Central
Africa, Cameroon has been chosen as the
first ambassador country of the Inner Africa
label for several reasons. Cameroon is a
concentrate of all the diversity of the African
continent. Indeed, there we can find the
coast, the desert, volcanic landscapes,
savannas, and the primary forest. The
country is home to more than 250 languages
and ethnic groups, practicing Christianism,
Islam, and animism in harmony.
1

Cameroon is also the only African country to be a member of both the Commonwealth and the
Francophonie.
The country has been going through a crisis in the anglophone region for some years now.
Nonetheless, the anglophone region is very keen on technological development and scientific
cooperation. We do hope that our sustainable city project, champion of scientific collaboration, will
be a vector of peace for the nation.

GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: THE PAPILLON SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA LABEL | EL4DEV - January 2021

5|Page

The city of Ngompen : the jewel of the forest
A new forest governance: that’s what the first city of the Inner Africa label wants to
introduce. The city will be touristic and agro-climatic but will be quite different from what
each of us had the occasion to witness. Immersed in the forest and pioneer of agroforestry,
it will carry the Congo basin’s forest message to the international community.

The location of the forest’s city
The village of Ngompen, located in the Littoral region
halfway between Yaoundé and Douala, will be the
host of our sustainable city.
The city will be implanted on a delimited private land
of 40 hectares, belonging to Mr DELSART’s family.
About 70% of the land is occupied by a humid
equatorial forest. The area can be extended to 100
hectares in the future.

A high city
Ngompen city’s particularity is that it will be
partly built on the canopy, in order not to
occupy the soil or cut trees.
The city will be designed in partnership with
ecological artists and architects. The forest is a
sacred place for the local populations. The city
will therefore have an appeasing, spiritual and
fairy-like atmosphere. The execution will be
done in collaboration with specialists and
students from Cameroon, France, and other
countries.

GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: THE PAPILLON SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA LABEL | EL4DEV - January 2021

6|Page

The city of Ngompen : the jewel of the forest
What the city has to offer…
The city of Ngompen will embody many roles :
•Fauna and flora’s conservatory, it will also be an
observation and experimental field for scientists and
researchers from all over the world.
•The food bank thanks to forestry activities that will
be practiced there, it will also constitute a real
showcase for typical crops from this region of
Cameroon.
•Place of spiritual and emotional recentering, due to
the cultural significance of the forest.
•an illustration of the planet’s forests, so that
humanity becomes aware of their role in its survival,
its restauration, and its management.

Benefits for the entire nation
Since 2011, Cameroon has adopted an
ecotourism policy. The Papillon Source’s
Cameroonian city will be a non-negligible asset
for the country, and the Congo basin in general.
Also, the transnational intellectual and artistic
events that will take place in Ngompen will
constitute real assets for the host country’s
scientific diplomacy.
The unique location and activities of the city will
attract scientists, intellectuals, and nature lovers
from all over the world, thus opening incredible
opportunities for the local youth.
GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: THE PAPILLON SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA LABEL | EL4DEV - January 2021

7|Page

Africa, cradle of change
The Inner Africa label could also be :
An agro-climatic city on the
West African shore to play a
part in the preservation of
coastal ecosystems, particularly
the mangrove

A city in the Sahel
region to fight against
desertification

Educative programs to
promote African
cultures and
languages

A city around Lake
Chad to boost the
local economy

A city in South Africa
to strengthen social
cohesion

The possibilities are endless !
GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: THE PAPILLON SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA LABEL | EL4DEV - January 2021

8|Page

Our vision for the continent

The African continent is full of opportunities, unexplored potentials and is gifted with
wealth that the other continents do not have. We chose to launch the label in
Cameroon, and we are fully convinced that the forest’s sustainable city will be a
catalyzer of lasting peace and unification within the region.
We want to do the same for each country of this great continent.
By becoming a member of the Papillon Source’s Inner Africa label, you will also be a
driving force of real mutual aid and partnership between Africa and the rest of the
world.
African nations, join the movement and let’s write together the future of the
continent !

GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: THE PAPILLON SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA LABEL | EL4DEV - January 2021

9|Page

Join the movement !
Address : Appt 11 Bât A Résidence Jean Monnet, 18,
Avenue de Gradignan, 33850 Léognan, France
E-mail address : contact@el4dev.com
Phone number : +33 6 41 37 87 08
Websites : http://www.el4dev.com/ http://www.el4dev.com/papillon/ and https://www.paulelvere-delsart.net/

Connect with us on our social media platforms !

GOING BACK TO THE ROOTS: THE PAPILLON SOURCE’S INNER AFRICA LABEL | EL4DEV - January 2021