Announced by the federal government as “a major cultural action to combat hunger and poverty”, Rio de Janeiro will host next week, from November 14th to 16th, the Aliança Global Festival, which has been informally called “Janjapalooza”as it was organized by the first lady, Janja Lula da Silva.
Names such as Alceu Valença, Ney Matogrosso, Daniela Mercury, Fafá de Belém and Zeca Pagodinho are among the 30 attractions at the festival. According to the press office of the Ministry of Culture, a partner in the organization, all artists at the festival will receive the same amount: a “symbolic fee” of R$30,000. Therefore, in total, R$900,000 will be paid in fees only.
“Janjapalooza” will have free access and will be held in Praça Mauá, in the Port Zone of the capital of Rio de Janeiro with “important artists from Brazil to promote engagement and discussion about the main brand of the Brazilian presidency of the G20”, the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty. According to the federal government, the festival was inspired by international concerts such as Live Aid 1985 and the Free Nelson Mandela Concert 1988, both held in England.
The musical event, according to the government, wants to celebrate the diversity of Brazilian culture, bringing together big names in national music to “engage everyone in Brazil’s commitment to leading the Global Alliance in defense of a world without hunger and poverty, with transition energy, climate justice and less unequal representation”.
Despite the justification, neither Janja nor the government informed how the shows should encourage the fight against hunger and poverty. THE People’s Gazette also questioned the Ministry of Culture about the existence of initiatives in this regard, such as donations, but received no response either.
The cultural mega-event precedes the G20 Leaders’ Summit, which will take place on November 18th and 19th and takes place simultaneously with G20 Social Summit. “The festival will harness the transformative power of artistic and cultural expressions to launch a message about the country’s commitment to building a collaborative network with lasting impact, involving countries, organizations and citizens in the fight for food justice,” says the government.
Janjapalooza is organized by the Brazilian government, co-organized by the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI) and the Federal Data Processing Service (Serpro). There are also nine festival partners, including Banco do Brasil, Caixa Econômica Federal (CEF), Itaipu, Petrobras and the City of Rio de Janeiro. THE People’s Gazette questioned the government about the values or forms of support from each of the partners, but did not receive feedback until the article was published.
The organizers justify that “through open dialogues, the event aims to broaden the debate and aims to inspire actions for a world without hunger, with climate justice and less inequality”, but does not specify how this should happen. It says Janjapalooza wants to mobilize resources and coordinate actions between countries, international organizations and civil society to “achieve ambitious goals to reduce hunger and poverty, working to find solutions for Sustainable Development Goals 1 (eradication of poverty) and 2 (zero hunger), from the UN” without saying what it will be like in practice.
The government says the proposal has received support from international leaders and food security experts, who have highlighted the need for a joint and sustainable approach to tackling these global challenges, and that the group’s key demands will reach heads of state at the G20 Summit .
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) is expected to participate in the festival and his trip to Rio will be brought forward to attend the event led by Janja.
This is not the first lady’s first festival. She has also promoted the Festival of the Future, held by Lula in January 2023, and the Pororoca Festival, promoted in New York in September last year.
Janjapalooza will have “themed nights”
When releasing the official event program, the government announced that the three nights of the festival will be themed. The first was called “Much Thank You Axé”, to give evidence to “ancestry and African heritage”. The second night, titled “The show must continue”, will feature a samba orchestra to “celebrate the typically Brazilian rhythm, the people, the art, the movement and the street”.
The third and final night, called “Pro dia bom Feliz”, will bring together different musical aspects “to celebrate diversity and hope in a future with social justice”, says an official statement.
