F20 favela forum kicks off opening event
“How could we [Brazil] be hosting the G20 and not include the favelas?” asked one of the leaders of Favela 20 forum during their opening event on Monday. The Favela 20 forum was organized to bring visibility to favelas in global discussions, highlighting the issues faced by the nearly 10 percent of the Brazilian population […]
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“How could we [Brazil] be hosting the G20 and not include the favelas?” asked one of the leaders of Favela 20 forum during their opening event on Monday.
The Favela 20 forum was organized to bring visibility to favelas in global discussions, highlighting the issues faced by the nearly 10 percent of the Brazilian population who live in these communities. The initiative aims to provide sustainable solutions that could improve the quality of life for favela residents.
The project, a mobilization of the favelas, includes representatives from several Rio de Janeiro favelas and plans to hold meetings in favelas across many other states throughout the year, according to Erleyvaldo Bispo, one of F20’s leaders.
With the primary goal of placing these marginalized communities at the center of discussion and decision-making, the forum began in partnership with Voz das Comunidades, a favela community newspaper led by Rene Silva.
“We realize that the topics discussed in the G20 are relevant to the favelas, which shows us that the favela has enormous potential,” said Mr. Silva at the opening ceremony.
The F20 has established working groups focusing on several key areas: combating inequality, poverty, and hunger; promoting mental health; ensuring access to potable water, basic sanitation, and personal hygiene; addressing the climate crisis and promoting fair energy transitions; mitigating the risk of natural disasters, and fostering digital and social inclusion.
After assessments and recommendations are made in the coming months, the F20 will present their work at the G20 Social Summit, hosted in Rio de Janeiro in mid-November.
The G20 has supported this initiative by dedicating space on its website to the F20. This collaboration offers the Brazilian government an opportunity to strengthen social participation, leaving a lasting legacy from Brazil’s presidency of the G20.
The opening ceremony featured speeches from members of the Rio state government and local legislature. The event was live-streamed by Voz das Comunidades.
This text is part of G20 Dialogues, a project of The Brazilian Report with the Brazil Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Through live broadcasts, articles, and events, we will analyze Brazil’s challenges and actions at the helm of the G20.
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