Thousands gather for the climate change summit in Bolivia

At least 15,000 people from worldwide indigenous movements and civil-society groups, as well as presidents, scientists, activists and observers from 90 governments, are expected to attend what is being called the "Woodstock" of climate change summits Photograph: Aizar Raldes/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Aizar Raldes/guardian.co.uk Bolivia's President Evo Morales (R) arrives at the summit. Bolivia is playing an increasingly important role in the climate negotiations by leading attempts to force developed countries to slash their emissions further than they have so far pledged. It was one of seven countries that refused to sign up to the deal that emerged from Copenhagen, incurring the wrath of Britain and the US, which this month withdrew $3.5m of climate aid from Bolivia Photograph: stringer/Reuters Photograph: stringer/guardian.co.uk Aymara Indigenous men line up to enter a stadium for the summit - even if the Cochabamba meeting will have no bearing on the UN climate talks, the idea is to give a voice to the world's poorest people Photograph: Dado Galdieri/AP Photograph: Dado Galdieri/guardian.co.uk A native from an indigenous tribe from Peru, makes a ritual during the inauguration ceremony. In a moving multicultural ceremony in a stadium outside Cochabamba, indigenous cultural leaders — performed an official ceremony opening offering a gift to mother earth 'Pachamama' Photograph: Aizar Raldes/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Aizar Raldes/guardian.co.uk Women dressed as clowns hold signs offering free hugs at the opening of the summit Photograph: Dado Galdieri/AP Photograph: Dado Galdieri/guardian.co.uk A Bolivian Quechua native carrying her son, attends the inauguration ceremony Photograph: Aizar Raldes/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Aizar Raldes/guardian.co.uk A native from an indigenous tribe from Ecuador, attends the inauguration ceremony Photograph: Aizar Raldes/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Aizar Raldes/guardian.co.uk Iranian student Fatemeh Parizy arrives to the opening ceremony Photograph: Dado Galdieri/AP Photograph: Dado Galdieri/guardian.co.uk Bolivian Quechua natives attend the inauguration ceremony Photograph: Aizar Raldes/AFP/Getty Images Photograph: Aizar Raldes/guardian.co.uk