Favela Rivers Also Have Rights, Say Residents, Activists and Students During Rio de Janeiro’s 3rd Sustainable Favela Festival
Clique aqui para Português Held on Saturday, October 17, at Fundição Progresso, the festival featured over 180 activities throughout its program. The sound of flowing water lulling people to sleep, childhood memories of swimming in [...]
On Saturday, October 17th, the 3rd Sustainable Favela Festival in Rio de Janeiro introduced a discussion circle focusing on the rights of rivers. Held at Fundição Progresso, the festival included over 180 activities that brought together residents, students, and socio-environmental organizations to discuss the degradation of rivers and the impact on favela communities.
The festival's atmosphere was deeply saturated with water imagery, from the soothing sounds of flowing water to childhood memories of swimming in pristine rivers. This connection to water was palpable in the residents' demands for improved sanitation and in the diverse exhibitions showcased throughout the two floors of the venue.
Children's drawings exhibited on the second floor captured the vibrancy of their relationship with rivers, demonstrating a creative dialogue among the illustrations. Meanwhile, the Favela Climate Memory research project's banners and panels presented stories from various favelas, showcasing the relationship between water and life in these communities.
The Pedala Queimados initiative, part of the solidarity market, displayed photographs and records from a cyclist's journey along the Doce River in Minas Gerais. His journey documented the stories of residents affected by the Mariana dam collapse, highlighting the lasting impact of the tragedy on people's lives and the affected communities.
One of the discussion circle activities began with the reading of the Anil River Rights Declaration, a document drafted by ninth-grade students from the Canrobert Pereira da Costa Municipal School in Jacarepaguá. The students expressed concerns about the river's degradation and called for action from the city government to preserve it.
Teacher Jacqueline Guerreiro, from the school, emphasized the importance of ongoing environmental education projects that bring students closer to their communities' socio-environmental issues.
Written by urgent.news from RioOnWatch's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
