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  • [ December 4, 2025 ] Portrait of a Centenary-Old Favela of Stilt Houses: Belém’s Vila da Barca Resists, Organizes and Fights for Sanitation and Adequate Housing #HousingWatch
  • [ November 30, 2025 ] The Story of Dona Pascoalina, Midwife and Healer of Morro do Borel by Community Contributors
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  • [ November 13, 2025 ] ‘Human Beings Forget That They Are Nature’: Favelas Teach the Path to the Future at the 2nd Favela Sustainability Festival Civil Society
  • [ November 12, 2025 ] Food Sovereignty and Culinary Heritage Connect with Fight for Climate Justice at the 2nd Sustainable Favela Festival Civil Society
HomeCentral Rio

Central Rio

#ParticipationWatch

Near Redeveloped Olympic Boulevard, Residents Paint Walls to Keep Afro-Brazilian History Alive

By Mariah Barber • August 19, 2016

Clique aqui para Português From August 9 to 13, artists, activists, and community members came together to repaint a wall in Pedra do Sal, located in the heart of historic Little Africa in Rio de Janeiro’s Port Region. Titled […]

#Rio2016

The Sahara Tram: The Soul of Santa Teresa under Attack

By Maristela Grynberg • Translation by Felicity Clarke • August 16, 2016

Clique aqui para Português On August 27, 2011, there was a terrible accident on the Santa Teresa tram, or bonde, in the hilltop neighborhood in Central Rio which resulted in serious injuries and several deaths. Among […]

#Rio2016

Rio 2016 Is an Absolute Joke: Humor as Olympics Resistance

By Adam Talbot • August 15, 2016

Clique aqui para Português “Wit is a dangerous weapon,” wrote French philosopher Michel de Montaigne. George Orwell remarked that every joke is a tiny revolution. Mark Twain proclaimed laughter as the only truly effective weapon […]

by Community Contributors

Providência Hosts Cultural Festival Featuring Local Capoeira, Theater, Cinema and Environmental Action Groups

By Miriane Peregrino • Translation by Sarah Jacobs • August 5, 2016

Clique aqui para Português On June 23, the Largo do Cruzeiro square in Providencia in central Rio de Janeiro hosted the Festival Subindo a Ladeira (Climbing the Hill Festival), with groups from inside and outside the favela taking part. The […]

#Rio2016

Amnesty International Protests Police Killings in Olympic Rio

By Alex Besser • July 29, 2016

Clique aqui para Português Amnesty International Brazil organized a surprise action early on Wednesday morning, July 27 to protest the increase in police killings in the lead up to the 2016 Olympics Games. At precisely 10am, a group of demonstrators […]

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RioOnWatch’s anti-racist reporting series won silver in the 2022 inaugural The Anthem Awards, in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion category among Best Local Awareness Programs.
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In May 2010, Catalytic Communities launched what was originally Rio Olympics Neighborhood Watch (hence RioOnWatch), a program to bring visibility to favela community voices in the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Olympics. This news site, RioOnWatch.org, grew into a much-needed and unique reference featuring favela perspectives on the urban transformation of Rio. With diverse and deeply interlinked articles by a mix of community reporters, resident opinions, solidarity reporters, international observers, and academic researchers, we work to engender a more accurate picture of favelas, their contributions to the city, and the potential of favela-led community development in Rio and around the world.

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Special Thanks

Fundação Heinrich Böll Brasil
World Habitat
Fideicomiso de la Tierra Caño Martín Peña
Pastoral de Favelas
Center for CLT Innovation
Global Land Alliance
Ecocity Builders
Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation
SDSU Behner Stiefel Center
The Rio Times
Forum Grita Baixada
Beto Paixão Graphic Design
Architecture Museum of Vienna
Yale School of Architecture

  • Home
    • Highlighted Stories
    • Understanding Rio
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  • Communities
    • Central
    • South Zone
    • North Zone
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    • Greater Rio
  • Policies
    • Public Security
    • Housing
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Health
    • Sanitation
  • Violations
    • Human Rights
    • Housing Rights
    • Police Violence
    • Government Neglect
  • Organizing
    • Community Organizing
    • Community Solution
    • Resistance
    • Sustainability
    • Participation
    • Protest
    • Culture
    • Responsible Tourism
  • Content Map
    • by Community Contributors
    • by Int’l Observers
    • Series
      • Anti-Racist Series
      • Energy Justice Series
    • Event Reports
    • Video Stories
    • Photo-Essays
    • Interviews/Profiles
    • Research & Analysis
    • Reviews
    • Listicles
    • Opinion
    • Reference
    • Podcasts
    • Translated Articles
  • About
    • Timeline
    • Our Reporting Policy
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