The Participatory Citizenship Committee has open meetings in the Consulate! Come, participate and show that your opinions count!
24 Feb, 2014
A�Read in English below | Leia em PortuguA?s aqui
By Shirley Nunes
Translated by Jessica Whitfield
Published in Portuguese – Brazilian News
In May this year, the Citizenship Council for Brazilians in the UK will have celebrate its first year of engagement and dialogue between Brazilians, the Consulate and Government. The idea for a Council was born from a meeting focused on the accountability of two Brazilian representatives from the Council of Brazilian representatives abroad. In the space of five meetings a Statute and General Meeting were planned to create the Participatory Citizenship Council for Brazilians. Since then, the Council has already achieved some conquests, which I will mention here.
The journey
by Cyro Pardoan
During 2013 each committee working for the Brazilian community held numerous meetings; one of them was a presentation at an event called Focus Brazil, which took place at the Brazilian Embassy in September 2013.A�There, members and facilitators were able to fully explain the Council, make some important points and invite new members.A�In the Councila��s plenary on 14 October, with Consul Maria De Lujan Caputo Winkler and sub-secretary Krishna Monteiro present, the facilitators of each commission brought forward their committeea��s proposals for approval. These proposals were then gathered for presenting at the IV Brazilian World Conference (19.20.21 and 22.11.2013). This event proposed by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, invited spokespeople from Brazilian councils from all over the world. Londona��s council was represented by Marta Fernandes.
a�?Brazilians in the Worlda�� Conference
At the conference, the spokespeople presented the proposals from each Council. There were Councils from South America (11), North America (10), Asia/Oceania (7), Japan (3), Europe (18) and Middle East/Africa (4), demonstrating the large number of Brazilian representatives throughout the world.A�At the end of the four-day conference, decisions were made by votes from all those present. The themes voted for were, a�?social security, gender violence, health, social assistance and human rightsa��, a�?work, shipping, investments, entrepreneurship, paybacka��, a�?educationa��, a�?culturea��, a�? political associations within communitiesa��, a�?consular affairsa�� and a�?legal mattersa��.A�The conference also saw the approval of a structure for Councils to be able to communicate with the government. In the new structure the community will work together with the council, which has its committees with facilitators. The committees are where needs, changes and projects are discussed and passed on by a spokesperson who is in contact with the Regional Coordinator. The Regional Coordinator will then pass on information to Theme Coordinators, then to the General Coordinator and finally it will be taken to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In January this year, there was an Extraordinary Plenary where all members and facilitators were able to find out, in detail, about the Conference. There was a presentation on the four days and its final outcomes, as well as the approved structure for how the Council will present demands to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Find out about the conference by following this link:A�A�http://www.brasileirosnomundo.itamaraty.gov.br/conferencias/2013-iv-conferencia-brasileiros-no-mundo
The Councila��s Space
There is an area on the Portal a�?Brazilians in the Worlda�� called The Councila��s Space. This area was created to show what the Council does, who runs it, its main projects and general updates.A�By following this link you can find more information about the councils:A�http://www.brasileirosnomundo.itamaraty.gov.br/espaco-dos-conselhosA�
Invite
Remember last yeara��s riots in Brazil? We had more than a 1000 people outside Westminster Abbey. Brazilians in London supporting Brazilians in Brazil, who were protesting for their rights and positive change. Now ita��s your moment to raise your voice here, in Londona��s Participatory Council for Brazilians. The Council is currently discussing its action plans around each theme voted for during the Conference and with each committee working on its own plans. Anybody can join the Council. A�Ia��ll close by inviting you all to come to the next meeting, which will happen on 27 February at 6.30pm at the Brazilian Consulate (3, Vere Street, London, W1G 0DH). If you are unable to come, keep up to date by registering at A�contato@conselhodecidadania.org.ukA�. Also, discover more about the council, its meetings and minutes on the Facebook Fanpage.A�
