Chamado áfrica english presentation

GUINEA-BISSAU: INAUGURAL EDITION The country chosen for the group to initiate its interventions in the African continent was Guinea-Bissau. After an extensive research made by the young participants on the continent, virtual seminars and presentations on each country, the group understood that they had to start with the Portuguese speaking countries, in order to facilitate communication and overall relations.

Another important factor taken into account was the great number of Guinean students residing in Brazil – they amount to a total of over 1000 people, who can later convert themselves into major social actors in their territories.

Besides, the current historic moment and the close relationship between the two countries’ embassies also favored the choice of Guinea-Bissau: “The African peoples brought to each of our nations their own contribution. We have a relationship [with African countries] that has to become ever stronger. We are looking at the root of our culture”, declared Dilma Roussef, the Brazilian president, during the opening of the meeting between leaders from Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa, in November 2011.

“We have collectively decided that Guinea-Bissau will be the destination of the first edition of Chamado Africa project. In face of the current social and economic challenges that the country faces, we judge this is the appropriate moment for the start of a great social transformation. And after the field visits, we became even more convinced of it”, says Pâmela Gaino, adding that this vision is in accordance with the Brazilian government’s current position of supporting the country.