The word “dialog” was the one most used today by Brazil’s Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, in her meeting with dozens of Brazilian artists living in Lisbon, who explained the challenges and difficulties they are going through in Portugal.
In her opening speech at the meeting, organized by the House of Brazil in Lisbon, Margareth Menezes also highlighted what she called the “dismantling” of the Ministry of Culture when she took over the portfolio in the new government of President Lula da Silva about eight months ago.
“We found in the Ministry of Culture a dismantling, an attack on public policies for the sector,” she said, referring to the previous government of Jair Bolsonaro.
“It was deliberate. We have very strong examples: the National Library, the Palmares Foundation. The Palmares Foundation was even plundered and, for example, Ibram [Brazilian Institute of Museums], Iphan [National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage], the works, all the recoveries left halfway through, the disconnection of information from sponsors to the federal revenue. We found all kinds of things inside the ministry, so this reconstruction, what we’re doing in eight full months now, is a powerful delivery for what we had found there,” he said.
During the meeting with the Brazilian artists, Margareth Menezes heard many complaints and requests for support and responded to all of them with “dialog” and the need to have time to meet all the demands.
“We are seeking dialog with the sector. It’s all the more important for us to listen to the needs, because at this time of resumption it’s very important, because it’s only from there that we can make a diagnosis and see what the Ministry of Culture can do, especially on the issue of cultural workers who are outside Brazil,” he stressed.
“We know that many people work with Brazilian culture and do projects that are powerful and also help to disseminate Brazilian culture outside of Brazil. So we have to be a little sensitive to this and look for some action. We’re going to study to see how we can,” she added.
Asked how her ministry could help Brazilian artists living in Lisbon, and based on what she said were the “excellent relations” with her Portuguese counterpart, Pedro Adão e Silva, Margareth Menezes once again referred to the need for dialogue.
“Dialogue is the key to everything. I think the Brazilian community here is very large. Portugal is a brother country, isn’t it? There’s this brotherhood due to history itself and a lot of people living here and the event, Carnival, is actually a big festival, where various Brazilian cultural events are presented,” he said.
“So let’s start talking to see if we can facilitate this event, to see this spirit of cultural manifestations, this great Carnival that Brazil offers to the world also happen here in Portugal,” he concluded.
