‘O Maraca é Nosso!’ Citizens denied entry to stadium bidding process
Apr 19th
On Thursday morning, April 11th, approximately 400 protesters representing various social and political movements marched from Largo do Machado to the Palácio Guanabara in Laranjeiras to demonstrate against the privatization of Rio’s historic Maracanã stadium. Inside the Palace, envelopes were being opened to determine which companies would be able to compete in the bidding process to administer the Maracanã complex for the next 35 years.
“Today is the day the carioca (Rio native) population takes to the streets and says ‘enough!’…These mega-events, the World Cup and the Olympics cannot violate the rights of the city of Rio de Janeiro! [They] cannot violate More >
‘We’re Young, Black & from the Favela–We Want to Live’
Apr 15th
Following the recent North Zone UPP police killings of 21 year-old Aliélson Nogueira in Jacarezinho on April 4th and 16 year-old Mateus Oliveira Casé in Manguinhos on March 20th, favela residents, NGOs, community organizations and activists are coming together in a series of events to protest the disproportionate assassination of young, black favela residents by agents of the state. Beyond expressing their anger and indignation, the network, that includes the Rio de Janeiro Youth Forum, Forum Social de Manguinhos, Rede Contra Violência, Observatório de Favelas, Ocupa Alemão, Favela Não Se Cale, Apafunk, More >
Rocinha, Gramacho and Port Planners Say: Participation is Vital
Apr 13th
On March 22, favela upgrades and compensatory damages for garbage pickers were on the agenda at a panel on “inclusive urbanism” at Studio X Rio, a satellite project of Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation (GSAPP). Located in a rehabbed historic building in Rio’s downtown Praça Tirandentes, Studio X had especially full programming during North American spring break, when Columbia students came to showcase their research and dialogue with citizens and local actors in architecture and planning.
Participatory planning is certainly the exception rather than the rule when it comes to urban development in Rio, and the panelists were More >
Microfinance in Rio: A Brief Overview
Apr 11th
Since the founding of the Grameen Bank in 1976, the use of microfinance in development economics has proven a remarkably effective method of providing credit to the impoverished. Often lacking access to even basic financial services, micro-businesses can benefit from the increase in liquidity. To offer affordable products, organizations and financial institutions lend on the basis of solidarity lending, where microentrepreneurs form lending groups to borrow money. A loan is given to one member of the group, and it is the responsibility of all members to ensure its repayment. This allows lenders to not require collateral or good credit because all group More >
Creation of Shopping Malls in Favelas Divides Opinion
Apr 10th
For the original article in Portuguese by Caio Quero on BBC Brasil click here.
The creation of shopping malls in Rio’s favelas may reinforce the distance between these communities and the rest of the city, in addition to increasing the social differences among residents of these neighborhoods.
This is the opinion of Itamar Silva, director of the Brazilian Institute of Social and Economic Analysis (IBASE) and a resident of the Santa Marta favela, located in Rio’s South Zone. According to him, relations in favelas are traditionally characterized by open circulation, thus the creation of malls in these neighborhoods may create divisions.
“I am critical of More >
