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Minister Marina Silva, Her Royal Highness Princess Esmeralda of Belgium, Décio Lima (president of Sebrae) and Jorge Viana (president of ApexBrasil) participated in the inauguration of Espaço Chico Mendes, a partnership between the Chico Mendes Committee, the National Council of Extractive Populations (CNS) and the Banco do Brasil Foundation, held this Sunday, in Belém, preceding the official opening of COP30.
The event was very prestigious and was attended by political leaders, people associated with social movements and representatives of the traditional populations of the Amazon.
Chico Mendes’ legacy returned to the center of international attention with the inauguration, this Sunday, in Belém, of Espaço Chico Mendes, created in partnership between the Chico Mendes Committee, the National Council of Extractive Populations (CNS) and the Banco do Brasil Foundation. The opening, which preceded the official COP30 ceremony, marked Acre’s reunion with the environmental agenda that the world learned to admire from the struggle of the rubber tapper leader, internationally recognized for his work in defense of the forest and the people of the Amazon.
The space houses a large exhibition about the life and trajectory of Chico Mendes, with never-before-seen images, documents and records, and also has an environment dedicated to debates, conversation circles and workshops with indigenous peoples, traditional communities and representatives of civil society organizations.
The Minister of the Environment, Marina Silva, and the president of ApexBrasil, Jorge Viana, moved the audience with speeches that recalled their personal experience with the rubber tapper leader and highlighted the relevance of his legacy. The two highlighted Chico Mendes’ role in building a model of sustainable development that inspires the world to this day and defended the continuity of policies that integrate forest conservation with improved quality of life in the Amazon region.
“Acre arrived at the COP with prestige thanks to the memory and legacy of Chico Mendes. The State’s public policies have lost prominence, but its history continues to be the strongest thing we have to present to the world, an example of resistance and commitment to the forest”, stated Jorge Viana.
Jorge praised the commitment of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Minister Marina Silva in restoring Brazil as a reference in global climate negotiations. “The challenges are enormous, but I am very optimistic. I believe that the results will come and can be materialized, as long as those who lead public policies in the Amazon understand that it is necessary to practice, and not just talk, about sustainable development”, he added.
The president of ApexBrasil also highlighted the need to improve the lives of the 30 million inhabitants of the Amazon, especially those who live in cities. “The most important thing is to change people’s lives. I defend that part of the resources generated, including by the future exploration of the equatorial margin, be destined directly to those who live in the Amazon, in the forests and in the cities. Only in this way can we have a new cycle of prosperity and environmental justice.”
