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LONDON EDITION FEB 27 – MAR 12
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LEIA EM PORTUGUÊS
2014 WORLD CUP First capital of Brazil, Salvador promises to be one of the hottest places to be in the World Cup - not just because of the heat >> Page 12 and 13
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Photo: Reproduction
INNOVATIVE BRAZIL Following a worldwide trend, Start-Up Brasil program creates favourable environment for newborn technology-oriented companies and promotes innovation to diversify Brazilian economy >> Pages 10 and 11
Photo: Eduardo Beltrame
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IN FOCUS Venezuela, Brazil, United Kingdom and Africa
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BRASILIANCE Brazil discuss what is terrorism
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BRAZIL IN UK Interview: Pedro Passos
LONDON EDITION 07
UK IN BRAZIL Business-education partnership launched
EDITOR IN CHIEF
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PROFILE Lucas Cruz Bueno
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FRONT PAGE REPORT Brazil bets on startups
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WORLD CUP Host-cities special: Salvador
CONECTANDO
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BRASIL OBSERVER GUIDE
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Birmingham and the Baroque music from Brazil
Heitor Villa-Lobos and much more...
Ana Toledo ana@brasilobserver.co.uk
EDITORS Guilherme Reis guilherme@brasilobserver.co.uk Kate Rintoul kate@brasilobserver.co.uk
PUBLIC RELATIONS Roberta Schwambach roberta@brasilobserver.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS Antonio Veiga, Bruja Leal, Clarice Valente, Deise Fields, Gabriela Lobianco, Luciane Sorrino, Michael Landon, Nathália Braga, Renato Brandão, Ricardo Somera, Rômulo Seitenfus, Rosa Bittencourt, Shaun Cumming, Zazá Oliva
LAYOUT wake up colab
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16|17 GUIDE COVER STORY 18 GRINGO’S VIEW 19 NINETEEN EIGHT-FOUR 20 NEW CANVAS OVER OLD 21 GOING OUT 22|23 TRAVEL 24|25 COOL HUNTER
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GRAPHIC DESIGN Jean Peixe ultrapeixe@gmail.com
DISTRIBUTION BR Jet brjetlondon@yahoo.com Emblem Group LTD mpbb@btinternet.com
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BUILDING A NEW CYCLE By Ana Toledo - ana@brasilobserver.co.uk
After the considerable advancement of social programs already established in Brazil, the country is now experiencing a fundamental in targeting the next steps for development. This requires a new leap and for that to happen, the concept of innovation and practical actions are urgently needed. Taking this into consideration, we present initiatives that seek to make this leap easier through the tenacity of Brazil’s entrepreneurs by looking at StartUp Brazil, a federal government program that aims to support technology-based companies and business accelerators (see more on pages 10 and 11). We also bring you an interview with Pedro Passos, one of the founders and shareholders of Natura (a Brazilian cosmetics company), who is in London to be part of the ninth Latin America Business Forum and talked to us about the challenges Brazil faces to his own experiences as a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship (page 6). Furthermore, the country is also experiencing rapid political change, with reinvention and guidance of structural as-
digala@wakeupcolab.com.br
ACCOUNTING ADVISORY pects with debates taking place in Congress. A high profile example is the controversial bill that toughens penalties for crimes committed during protests, classifying them as acts of terrorism. Once again on the political after vandalism and violence on the streets, many questions surround these changes and you can read more and make your own opinion on pages 4 and 5. On a lighter note we also have lots of coverage from London Fashion Week. Read a great profile of Brazilian designer Lucas Cruz Bueno on pages 8-9, gain an insight into contemporary Brazilian design showcased in London on page 20 and get inspired by Zaza Oliva´s fashion week street style shots on pages 24 and 25. Always going beyond the stereotypes of Brazil, but without ever losing touch with our carnival atmosphere, Brasil Observer brings you some great options to enjoy the Carnival in London (page 22). Enjoy the edition and any parties you head to over the next couple of weeks!
Atex Business Solutions info@atexbusiness.com BRASIL OBSERVER is a fortnightly publication of the ANAGU UK MARKETING E JORNAIS UN LIMITED (Company number: 08621487) and is not responsible for the concepts expressed in signed articles. People who do not appear in this expedient are not authorized to speak on behalf of Brasil Observer. The contents published in this newspaper may be reproduced if properly credited to the author and to Brasil Observer.
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IN FOCUS Photo: Reproduction Venezuela is now a divided country and must follow the democratic institutions
MERCOSUR-EU AGREEMENT IS NEAR
VENEZUELA: RELEVANT QUESTIONS
At the seventh Brazil - European Union Summit in Brussels on 24 February, President Dilma Rousseff said that a free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European bloc is getting closer. European officials also believe that the settlement between the parties can be finalised soon. “I believe this will be a great contribution that we will make to the economic recovery of the countries of the world, especially for two such important regions, such as Mercosur and the European Union,” Rousseff said at an event attended by the president of the European Council, Herman von Rompuy, and President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, among others. The standoff between the European and South American block has lasted 13 years. Since 2004, trade negotiations have been suspended, Argentina is currently the main political obstacle between the groups. Brussels estimates that the EU-Mercosur agreement would create a free trade area of €59 million, and may increase Brazilian exports to the region by 12%. Other analysis is more skeptical, arguing that integration could subordinate the economy of the South American countries, jeopardising the most independent development model as the EU would require a drastic reduction of the tariff burden levied on imported products without ensuring agricultural subsidies to European producers. A technical meeting between the EU and Mercosur was scheduled for 21 March at which Rousseff is expectingmore “formal exchange offers” that will break the deadlock in negotiations. Rousseff also used the annual meeting of the EU-Brazil summit to promote the project of building an undersea telecommunications cable directly linking Brazil and Europe in order to reduce Brazil’s dependence on the U.S. system and improve direct relations with mainland Europe. The president criticised the lawsuit filed by the EU at the World Trade Organisation against the Brazilian government’s incentives to local industry, more specifically, the fiscal advantages granted by the government to the Manaus Free Zone.
Monitoring the events occurring in Venezuela through the traditional Brazilian media would give unsuspecting person the distinct impression that this South American country lives under a dictatorship - which is a huge mistake when you take the time to recall the legitimate election last year, one that the media often forgets about. These acts of censorship represent a desperate manoeuvre of an opposition that cannot defeat the project of nation created by Hugo Chavez and that is now led by President Nicolas Maduro. What we must question in the war of misinformation that has been promoted by corporatist media and easily perpetuated in the ignorant views voiced on social networks, is exactly who people are and what their intentions that have put Venezuela’s government at stake. Who is Leopoldo Lopez, hailed by the media as the leader of the demonstrations? Which side was he in the attempted coup orchestrated by the United States in 2002 against the democratically elected government of Hugo Chavez? Who does Lopez stand for? The rights of the five million Venezuelans who have been lifted out of poverty by the socialist government or the big corporations interested in one of the largest oil reserves in the world? In these post-Arab Spring times, supporting demonstrations in all corners of the world through a computer has become almost a fetish. Now more than ever however, it is essential to understand the reality and to ensure that we do not end up supporting injustice. All countries in South America have suffered the fate of bloody dictatorships that took power from popular democratically elected governments - Joao Goulart in Brazil and Salvador Allende in Chile are the most prominent examples. Those who support the fall of Maduro in an undemocratic way in Venezuela are once again threatening the independence of the South American countries in their long struggle for emancipation. This does not mean that we should not question Venezualan government policy, especially those relating to how to transform the oil revenue into an inducer of growth, employment and income. The party also needs to find a means of solidifying their message so that their projects for improvement can continue in the absence of a leader like Hugo Chavez. The answers to these questions, and many others, should be answered by Venezuelans, without the interference of other countries.
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UK: MIRANDA DETENTION WAS LEGAL According to British justice, the detention of David Miranda at Heathrow in August 2013 was legal. After examining the case of the Brazilian, the High Court of London stated on 19 February that the procedures correctly followed the legal parameters. They found that the detention was proportionate to the circumstances, Miranda has said he will appeal. Miranda is the boyfriend of journalist Glenn Greenwald, responsible for publishing leaks from the former NSA analyst Edward Snowden, in the British newspaper The Guardian and exposing the scale of cyber espionage practiced by the United States. In August last year, the 28 years old Brazilian was held for nine hours at Heathrow airport while in transit from Germany to Rio de Janeiro. Miranda also had nine of his belongings confiscated, including his mobile phone, computer, memory cards and DVDs. Miranda’s lawyers argued that his arrest was illegal because it had been wrongfully made under anti-terrorism laws. The British court, however, held that the detention was lawful, assessing that the police took into account matters of “national security” to handle the case. The panel also said that Miranda’s freedom of expression had been infringed. To defend their right to freedom of expression, the lawyers argued that Miranda was arrested for the sole purpose that the authorities would have full access to the equipment his was carrying, because of his personal connection to the figure of Greenwald. A coalition of ten media organisationswho seek to defend freedom of expression has been included in the process to formally express the fears of use of anti-terrorist legislation against journalists.
UGANDA SIGNS ‘HOMOPHOBIA LAW’ The President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, signed a law that punishes homosexual acts with life sentences, and penalises for up to 14 years this who engage in the “promotion and recognition” of such acts. Approved by Parliament in December, the law was featured as a “strengthening the nation’s ability to deal with internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family”. The law had been delayed by Museveni, awaiting the results of a study. According to these researchers, there is no genetic basis to justify homosexuality, but is derived from an “anomalous” social behaviour. For this group, “it is not a disease, but simply an abnormal behaviour that is learned through the experiences of life”. President Barack Obama warned that the signing of this law would be a step backward in the protection of human rights and would complicate the relationship between the two countries - as Washington is one of the major powers that donate resources to Uganda. “President Museveni has taken a dramatic step in the opposition of freedom of expression by signing the law against homosexuality,” said Mary E. Burnett, of Human Rights Watch. “Limiting these basic rights and criminalising the expression of differing views does not provide anything good for anyone in Uganda,” she added. Homosexuality is illegal in 38 of 54 African countries and Western opposition to such laws is often interpreted as an “attempt at social imperialism”. The Ugandan president signed another law against pornography, among other “insidious” behaviour prohibitions including the wearing of mini skirts.
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BRASILIANCE
Photo: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
TERRORISM: THREAT OR EXCUSE?
The actions of masked protesters have generated great concern both in government and among peaceful social movements
By Wagner de Alcântara Aragão
Recent acts of vandalism and violence on Brazil’s streets, one that killed the cameraman Santiago Andrade, bring the debate about harder legislation to Congress, but there are fears that such law will serve to curtail the right to street demonstrations
Brazilian society is at a crossroads: how should the country preserve the right to peaceful demonstration while also ensuring that such events are not marred by scenes of vandalism and violence, as has been increasingly common. For the last couple of years, the debate has led Congress to put through reactive new bills that classify some public actions as acts of terrorism with punishments for violators. President Dilma Rousseff has stated publicly that she advocates a strict law that combats violent protest and that the Ministry of Justice has been working on such a proposal. Such legislation is highly reactionary and is being passed with great urgency
as policy makers panic. They aim to have new legal framework, upheld by security forces in time for the World Cup this summer. Protests in opposition to the event have been taking place since last year and are expected to intensify on match days, as was the case during the Confederations Cup last year, following the wave of protests triggered in June. The recent death of cameraman Santiago Andrade, who was fatally wounded when a firework exploded close to his head at a demonstration in Rio de Janeiro, caused great concern and prompted society to reflect on the need to curb violence.
On 6 February, Andrade, was filming the protest against the increase in bus fares for Bandeirantes Television when a firework launched by a protestor hit him at close range, after four days in a coma, doctors pronounced him brain dead. There is, however, resistance to stringent regulation. Among those who oppose the classification of certain “acts of vandalism” or “terrorist acts”, there are fears that such law will serve to curtail the right to free expression and street demonstrations. Such critics argue that tougher legislation would actually be instilled to avoid any inconvenience to the highly lucrative World Cup, rather than to protect Brazilians.
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THE CASE FOR LEGISLATION For at least two symbolic reasons the Government of President Dilma Rousseff will need to show consistent arguments to prove that they intend to curtail violence while also guaranteeing free expression. One of these reasons is in the origin of the political origins of Brazil’s leading party who’s members emerged from grassroots organisations that used public demonstration effectively. This sentiment was voiced by Congresswoman Manuela D’Avila, from the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB). D’Avila started her political career in the students’ movement in 1999. It was due to her activism on the streets that Manuela was elected councillor of Porto Alegre (RS) in 2004, and two years later became a Congresswoman. Amid the discussions about the necessity of a law to curtail violence D’Avila expressed her rejection of such proposal: “Brazil already has enough laws to punish crimes. What we need is to follow them”, she Tweeted in late February. Another symbolic reason is emblematic of the country’s turbulent history. 2014 is the 50th anniversary of the 1964 civil-military coup that overthrew Joao Goulart’s Labour government and established a dictatorship that lasted until 1985. It was precisely on these familiar grounds of “fighting violence” and “safeguarding national security” that the dictatorship crushed student and worker demonstrations against military control - President Rousseff herself was a victim of the repression, considered a “terrorist”by the regime. After half a century, this sad episode in Brazil’s history our society are still s frightened and suspicious of any discourse relating to the control of protest and national terrorism. Lawyer João Tancredo, president of the Institute for Human Rights, who have been working on the defence for political arrests at street demonstrations compared the latest anti-terrorism law proposals to the “institutional acts” from the Ditatorship, specially the known AI-5. “The institucional acts were put in place by the Military forces. Nowadays this would be voted by the Legislative. I think that this situation is far more dangerous, we could call it ‘AI-5 of democracy’, institutional acts that affect everyone and have been voted for by our duly elected congress rather than imposed on us by military force. I don’t think that’s what we need”. In Tancredo’s evaluation, new Brazilian law provides punishment for all crimes that are potentially committed at public demonstrations. A similar opinion is held by Senator Roberto
Requiao, from the Party Democratic Movement of Brazil (PMDB) in Paraná State. “What I see is that under the pretext of fighting the nonsense that led to the death of cameraman, this will condemn any movement of popular demonstration in Brazil. [A proposal for anti-terrorism law] is strictly inadmissible and fascist. It is absurd, and the Congress should pass this bill”, Requiao told Brazil’s Senate recently. There are supporters for harsher laws out there, and they argue that given the international situation, and as host of a global event like the World Cup, Brazil needs to specify it’s own internal understanding and approach to terrorism. In an interview with Agência Senado, the consultant Tarciso Dal Maso stressed that the country “is not free from the action of foreign terrorist groups. Law enforcement agencies such as the Federal Police, Abin [Brazilian Intelligence Agency] and Army work with various concepts of terrorism. The Federal law has to say what’s the main concept to avoid legal instability.” The National Security Law that Dal Maso refers to is the Federal law which has been in place for more than 30 years now. Terrorism is covered in Article 20, which states punishment by imprisonment for three to ten years for anyone who “lay waste, loot, extort, steal, kidnap, burn, vandalize, cause an explosion, practice personal attacks or acts of terrorism for political nonconformity or to obtain funds for maintaining clandestine or subversive political organisations”.
TERROR IN BRAZILIAN TERMS There are at least six projects in the National Congress that deal with the antiterrorism legislation. The most recent one, which is currently being debated, is the Law Project from Senate written at the Mix Commission of Congress by Senator Romero Jucá, of PMDB from Roraima State. Jucá argues that the proposal is not against the right to public demonstration:“Our intention is to give to the country a modern and strict law against terror. There’s nothing to do with [restricting the demonstration of] social movements”, the Senator toldAgência Senado. Another project was created by Senator Marcelo Crivella, from the Republicans Party of Brazil (PRB), from Rio de Janeiro State and presented almost two years before the street demonstrations of last June. Currently licensed from Senate, as he is in charge of the Ministry of Fishing the senator rejected claim that his proposal would suffocate street demonstrations, “There’s no chance the legitimate popular demonstrations from the past or in the near future
SECURITY FOR WORLD CUP TO COST R$ 2 BILLION Navy Training
Photo: Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
During the Seminar of Selections, held in Florianópolis in February, the security arrangements for the World Cup were defined. Representatives of FIFA, the Local Organising Committee (COL) and the Ministries of Justice and Defence enacted a quota of 170,000 men to protect the 32 teams who will come to Brazil for the competition. In total, approximately R$ 1,9 billion will be invested in security – around £500 million. The Ministry of Justice has pledged R$ 1.1 billion, this in line with earlier predictions, and has not ben increased, despite the wave of demonstrations that took place during the Confederations Cup in June last year. The remainder, about R$ 708 million will come from the Ministry of Defence. “The budget was approved by law and made with the fundamental premise that every resource would be useful in the longer term for the cities, states and the everyday security of each city. This includes the anticipated number of legacy equipment and infrastructure that are already being used in these areas”, said Andrei Rodrigues, secretary of the Ministry of Justice. With plans integrating various areas of intelligence, General Jamil Megid Jr., from the Ministry of Defence, said that the army is prepared, if any extreme situation happens - President Rousseff has claimed that “if and when necessary, we will also mobilise the Army”.
would be classified as a terrorism act under this legislation”. The Marcelo Crivella project defines terrorism as “to strike terror or widespread panic through harm to physical integrity or deprivation of liberty of persons, for ideological, religious, political or racial reasons, ethnic or xenophobic prejudice”. The Senate informed that in September 2013, that the project has gained favourable report from senator João Alberto Souza (PMDB-MA), though it did receive a negative report from senator Ana Rita (PT-ES) and the committee then accepted her vote and closed the debate.
CRIMINAL CODES The criminalization still provided in the formed the Brazilian 1940. This is the bill Senator Pedro Taques,
of terrorism is bill which rePenal Code, in is supported by Democratic La-
bor Party (PDT) who has stated that current laws provide punishment for acts of violence that may be caused by groups in street demonstrations. However, there is pressure to reform the Penal Code and increase the penalty for damage to public property. “In a democracy we cannot tolerate and allow vandals to exist outside the law. Social movements must be valued and are welcome but criminals and troublemakers should be removed and answer for their actions under the law,” said the senator Taques. The words of Senator Pedro Taques resemble those of President Rousseff who has publicly defended the “hardening” of punishment for crimes committed during the protests, arguing that acts of vandalism and violence which threaten the democratic public at demonstrations should be punished. “People who use violence and people who hide their faces are not democrats. People who kill or injure the public and destroy their assets are criminals and should be treated as such,” Rousseff has said.
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BRAZIL IN UK
Pedro Passos: New cycle of Brazil’s economy depends on entrepreneurs One of the founders and partners of the cosmetics maker Natura, Pedro Passos is in London recentlyfor the ninth edition of the Latin America Business Forum and found time to chat with the Brasil Observer about Brazil’s business environment Photo: Reproduction
natural resources also show promise. The recent growth of the service sector points to many opportunities.
By Brasil Observer
Organised by the Latin America Club of the London Business School, the ninth edition of the Latin America Business Forum happens on 1 March. The annual event, which brings together major leaders of Latin America’s businesses and this year saw the participation of two Brazilian businessmen: Pedro Passosand Gustavo Pimenta, CIO of Anheuser Busch-InBev Europe. Pedro Passos, who is also president of the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (Iedi, in Portuguese), an organisation that brings together some of the greatest Brazilian industrialists, chatted to the Brasil Observer about some of the themes emerging from the forum, like entrepreneurship, innovation and the construction of a new development cycle for Brazil. Brazil has been moving in the right direction to become an important reference in terms of innovation and entrepreneurship? What good examples have you seen and what else should be done? Clearly Brazil is devoting more attention to the agendas of Innovation and Entrepreneurship. It is evident that increasing the country’s productivity is essential in building a new development cycle. This depends on significant investments in Research, Development and Innovation through the emergence of many new and entrepreneurial initiatives. The public sector, for example, has incorporated the “Greater Brazil Plan”, a series of measures to ensure more com-
What do you think Brazil can learn from the UK?
Pedro Passos believes that increasing the country’s productivity is essential
petitive sources of funding, in addition to tax incentives into their industrial policy. Also the private sector created a Business Movement for Innovation program (MEI, in Portuguese), which discusses and proposes mechanisms to facilitate innovation in the country by identifying existing bottlenecks. There are many points that should evolve: tax laws, training of skilled labour, intellectual property, elimination of excessive bureaucracy, and partnerships with public universities and more, all of which are relevant to creating a stimulating and creative business environment. What are the biggest challenges and where are the best opportunities for foreign companies wanting to do business in Brazil?
Brazil is a country with many opportunities. The internal market is very relevant. In the last twenty years the country has evolved with the control of inflation and the incorporation of 40 million Brazilians called the new middle class. These are people who have joined today’s consumer society and are responsible for a major leap in the domestic market. It is a democratic country with a free press, where institutions work well, although we have plenty of room for evolution. There are numerous sectors in which international companies have large scope for good performance. Just as an example, new concessions are being made in the infrastructure sector. Consumer goods, oil & gas, agribusiness and all other sectors derivatives, usually very abundant
We have much to learn from the UK in terms of research, technology and public services like health and education, but it’s important to highlight the special business environment in the UK. Brazil has a lot to learn to create a business environment that is favourable to investment, facilitates the work of the entrepreneur and integrates decisively into global trade. What lessons do you think Brazilian companies need to internationalize, and what do you intend to address in your speech at the Latin America Business Forum? Brazilian companies necessarily have to seek new patterns of governance, productivity and quality. I think that Brazil’s engagement with the international economy will give the necessary stimulus for Brazilian companies to seek new markets with products of higher technological content, seeking a better position in production chains. This diagnosis is becoming a consensus in business and many understand that we must go beyond the export basket of commodities. My presentation will be about the importance of innovation, with a focus on the history and management of Natura, the company that I co-founded.
UK IN BRAZIL
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British Foreign Secretary launches business-education partnership in Brazil From the British Embassy in Brazil
A new initiative between Brazil and the UK will encourage companies to support the Science without Borders UK and Chevening programmes. The British Foreign Secretary William Hague, in Brazil for his second visit, launched the initiative in an event with British and Brazilian companies on Tuesday 18th February. Brazilian Chevening and Science without Borders (SwB) alumni were with Hague at the event to also celebrate the historical links between the UK and Brazil in education. The Partnership encourages
companies to offer internships to SwB students, co-sponsor scholarships and support the UK Alumni Network in Brazil. With expertise in talent and leadership formation, the UK has been playing an important role in the formation of the private sector in Brazil. Since the first Brazilian to receive a scholarship from the British government in 1938, hundreds of other talented students have shared the UK’s culture when studying at British universities. “The experience I had when doing my MBA in Manchester went beyond the university walls. Internships and lectures with
CEO’s from international companies gave me the background I needed to come back to Brazil with a stronger background”, says Alexandre Campos, 2007 Chevening Alumnus. CHEVENING PROGRAMME Chevening Scholarships programme is celebrating its 30th anniversary with over 1450 alumni in Brazil. There will be 30 scholarships on offer under this programme in 2014, an increase from 21 last year representing an investment of roughly half a million pounds. More information: www.chevening.org.
SCIENCE WITHOUT BORDERS UK Science without Borders UK is another successful scholarship programme. In partnership with the Brazilian government, it has enabled many Brazilian students to study in the UK. Over 80 universities from across the UK are now hosting SwB students from over 100 Brazilian universities, and to date SwB has welcomed almost 6,000 students to the UK. These students have contributed immensely to the culture of UK universities. More information: www.sciencewithoutborders.international.ac.uk.
On behalf of London Business School’s Latin America Club, we would like to formally invite you to the 9th Latin America Business Forum (www.lbslatamforum.com) to be held on March 1st 2014. London Business School has confirmed the attendance of the following Brazilian speakers: Pedro Passos, Co-founder of Natura, and Gustavo Pimenta, CIO of Anheuser Busch-InBevEurope. Come discuss the realities of doing business in or with Latin America and don’t miss this unique opportunity to network with some of the most influential Latin American business leaders today. All tickets include lunch as well as a networking reception with drinks. When: Saturday, March 1st 2014 / 9am – 4pm Where: RCOG, located next to London Business School campus, opposite Regent’s Park Registration and further details: www.lbslatamforum.com
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PROFILE
Lucas Cruz Bueno: A Life in Fashion I was at London Fashion Week earlier this month and there I caught up with an exciting young designer, Lucas Cruz Bueno. Thedesigner and founder of the trade mark CRUZ BUENO, with whom I had the pleasure of writing about before, Lucas is a young designer showing great promise in London’s Fashion industry and in this interview he talks about his style philosophy living the brand through and through while he wears his own creations.
How does your style influence your life?
I’m wearing a T-Shirtfrom my latest collection - ROYAL and a skinny black jeans from Zara and since I always like to have a fun little detail, I’m wearing burgundy socks.
By having a sober style, it becomes easier to adapt to any environment. I consider myself a fairly adaptable, flexible and, above all, a chameleon-like person.
-Tell us a bit more about your style...
Have you ever had a fashion disaster? Oh I’ve made almost a whole massacre in fashion! I have the habit of reviewing old photos to see friends, situations and moments that have been important for my life, and I’m usually amazed on how I was so young and immature, wearing things that at the time I thought it was great, but today I consider a high mistake. I think I’m much better now, I can say my style in general is being settling over time. I do not regret anything that happened before, because all of that brought me to who I am today, everything serves in some way to our growth and change.
My style is quite sober, I use lots of dark colours like black, grey, dark blue and burgundy. Before I used to play with colours and patterns, but over time my style became more calm and balanced. I am a very optimistic and creative person and I try to translate that into the accessories I create. I always like to wear a shoe that catch attention, but I always make sure this is in line with the whole look. I seek to find a balance in my outfit without losing sight of my role of designer, because this has a positive influence on my day to day life.
If you could change one thing about your appearance, what it would be?
What inspires you? Fashion inspires me, especially in the way I dress and translate this into my work. Many things seem good when you first see them, but not everything works with our existing style. I always try to strike a balance between new trends and classic styles. Sometimes you have to be quick and take a risk. Fashion is like everything else in life, it has a good and bad side. There are extreme stereotypes, bodies, beauty, styles, tastes and above all visions, you must know how to choose what is best for you and your life style. Is there someone in particular who has influenced your designs? I get a lot of inspiration from great designers. I love to watch videos on fashion editorials, and look through photo shoots and imagery from famous magazines. I try read these and frame them in terms of my own style of being, living and dressing. After all we all have our own means of expression through the language of clothes. If you adopt a language that is wrong or that is not truly yours, the message may seem confusing or even contrary to what you stand for.
I would love to be tall. I’m 5 ft 7” and I would love the opportunity to be at least till 5’9 But since I’ve passed the age of growth spurts, I have to be satisfied with this. In the same way, is there anything in your life you’d like to change? Honestly I would not change anything in my life. Everything that happened either positively or negatively, has formed the person I am and what I have. Of course I would like to go back and relive some moments with persons who are no longer with me. Thankfully we have the ability to immortalise those moments with memories. All the decisions I made were part of learning and growth, maturation and strengthening and I’m sure they will continue to reflect in my future. Who are your favourite designers past and present? My favourite fashion label is definitely Alexander McQueen, created by such a visionary master and continued by the designer Sarah Burton since his death. Apart from that, there’s several designers I follow and that inspire me a lot, such as: Karl Lagerfield, Marchesa, Elli Saab, Gereth Pugh, Salvatore Ferragamo, Miuccia Prada, Riccardo Tisci, Nina
Photo: by Rômulo Seiten
What you are wearing today?
fus
By Rômulo Seitenfus
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“Many things seem good when you first see them, but not everything works with our existing style
”
Ricci, Franco Nochino, Roberto Cavalli, Giambattista Valli, Donattela Versace, Kenzo Takada, Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs and many others. What is your favourite piece of clothing that you own? This is difficult, I have so many, but I think it would be a coat I bought in Milan last summer, it was love at first sight and I could not resist. This normally happens to me when I go shopping, I can’t try outfits cause when they fit well, I just cannot resist. What’s your wardrobe staple? Scarves, they keep the cold cold at bay and are indispensable for me. As London is always cold, I can’t leave home without one. Is there something you don’t current own that you’d like? There’s a set of suitcases from Louis Vuitton called Alzer and Cotteville. It is a beautiful set and the day I saw them in the store, it was love at first sight, but they are really expensive. If you could learn a new skill, what would it be? I would like to learn how to make high heel shoes, and learn to push the boundaries of this creation to create really artistic ones. Tell us something unusual about you that we do not know yet… When I’m with my friends or someone who is very special, I love taking pictures. I know it’s nothing professional, but I think that life is so short and things go by so fast that we end up not enjoying these little moments. I take pictures almost every day. I like to recordthe places I go and who I’m with. I like to relive those moments and cultivate them in my memory. I have many friends who are no longer with me in person, and I miss them so I decided to immortalise these small moments.
ID The most important moment of your life: The day Samuel, my godson was born. A fear: Death. Your biggest imperfection: Extremely insistent. Your biggest quality: I’m a perfectionist. Something you love: Taking pictures. Favourite occupation: Creating. An unforgettable moment: London Fashion Week. A cultural event that surprised you: Swan Lake. The most incredible place your eyes ever saw: Santorini, Greece. A place you want to go: The Greek Islands. A personality: Oprah Winfrey. A book: “Diary of Anne Frank”. A song: “Adore You” – Miley Cyrus. What attracts to someone: Intelligence. If your life was a song, what it would be? “Love Story” – Taylor Swift. Do you prefer to surprise or to be surprised? To surprise. A talent you would like to have: The ability to play instruments. A beautiful woman: Sandra Bullock. A beautiful man: Paul Wesley (Stefan Salvatore of “The Vampire Diaries”). How do you see your life in ten years time? To have my trademark CRUZ BUENO established, with many shops around the world. I want to have a studio with excellent working conditions and excellent professionals. I hope to dress big names and celebrities. I would love to be invited to create a collection for the brand Alexander McQueen. I also want to help my family and I dream about helping people in need and to support worthy causes.
10 brasilobserver.co.uk
FRONT PAGE
Brazil bets on startups to diversify economy Following a worldwide trend, Brazil’s government is investing in technology-based entrepreneurship to encourage job creation in highly skilled sectors and diversify the country’s production By Brasil Observer
Brazilian and foreigner startups now begin the acceleration through the second round of Start-Up Brasil. In total 62 emerging technology companies have been selected for the second round of the federal program. These companies were chosen from 709 that registered and will have their projects closely monitored by nine accelerators, each receiving up to R$200,000 (£50,000) from the federal government to develop their projects - and possibly direct investments from the accelerators. Launched in November 2012, StartUp Brasil is part of the a biggest digital program, which is part of the actions of the National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (ENCTI) which gathers public policies to support the sector. The program will have annual editions with different start ups invited to apply each year over three public calls - two for entrepreneurs and one for accelarators. In addition to receiving funds from the federal government, the selected projects will have access to services such as physical infrastructure, legal advice, mentoring and training offered by accelerator companies. Rafael Moreira, director of Software and IT at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and one of the creators of the program said, “Brazil needed to position itself as the new frontier in support of countries attracting entrepreneurs in the technology sector”. “We found that other countries were directing their strategies to fostering an ecosystem of technology-based entrepreneurship, with startups, taking the view that investment in research and development can be a major driver of economic growth in the long term. So from this concern we draw the Start-Up Brasil program”, Moreira said in an interview with Brasil Observer.
Moreira said he has closely followed similar startup projects in countries like Chile, United States, Canada and Israel, and the positive effects they had. “The business of startups generates a chain reaction. Today young people no longer have the same vision to train and work for one company for 30 years, they want to create and generate their own businesses. The widespread knowledge that the market is extremely competitive is even further entrenched and they do not want to lose out. “So we need to have a lot of technology and strategic business vision. We need to build an ecosystem of entrepreneurs in Brazil that leverage their business, generating employment and income, which has an extremely positive effect on the economy. It will also create jobs in highly skilled sectors and boost areas of the knowledge economy. “We would start seeing a generation of per capita GDP that is much higher than in traditional activities with much more income distribution. It’s an interesting effect because we will prepare the economy to diversify its supply chain, generating a very large capacity for diversification, with economic and social impacts. “Most of these entrepreneurs research their business models to respond to social problems in an innovative and creative way: entrepreneurship is built upon shared values. From there you understand why countries are putting the support of startups as top priorities of government”, added Moreira. He noted that in Europe, technology-based entrepreneurship has been seen as a key factor in the fight against the economic crisis, especially in generating jobs for young graduates who cannot find space in the traditional job market.
HEAP UP EXAMPLE During the first call for applications for the Start-Up Brasil program, in July 2013, 45 national projects were selected. Among them was Heap Up (www.heapup.com.br), an online platform for research and entertainment where the user is rewarded when responding to surveys or participates in the available activities. Felipe Schepers, a founder of this startup, told Brasil Observer that joining the program “is a chance to further expand your network and have more visibility” and that “the opportunity is being well spent”. “In March we will launch a new platform that aims to democratize market research and enhance the use of the tool as a means of making decisions for companies, agencies and consultants”, he said. Heap Up has been accelerated through the support of a company called Acelera-MGTI, based in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. “The Acelera-MGTI is a new accelerator and this has made the process interesting, because we had a program that was being done for the first time and chose an accelerator that was also taking shape”. “This can be seen as damaging, but we prefer to see this as a way to contribute to building a program and an accelerator closer to what we need,” said Schepers, adding the accelerator “has sought partners to offer free or discounted services”. According from data Acelera-MGTI since the beginning of acceleration, Heap Up increased 60% of their customer base and currently has over 85 thousand users, so was able to expand their team and create more jobs. EDONATORS EXAMPLE The relationship between startup and accelerator is not always easy. Adopted at the second call of the Start-Up Brasil
program, the platform eDonators (www. edonators.com.br), whose goal is to collect payment solutions, engagement and social marketing for charities, has still not managed to find an accelerating company. “Until now we had no opportunity to negotiate. That is one side of the Start-Up Brasil program that has not been nice. Other companies also have not closed”, the founders of eDonators commented. When asked about such cases by the Brasil Observer, Rafael Moreira said that this is an isolated case. “About 10% of startups that are selected cannot close with an accelerator”. He reported that the main reasons is the lack of understanding in relation to the demands of acceleration and also by the fact that, often, there is a perceived risk as the startups could find private investor and quit the program. Moreira also reported that the accelerators are part of the board that chooses startups, however, in some cases, the accelerator come to the conclusion that the designs were not as promising as they had first thought. He did promise to follow the process and find out more about why eDonators had not been successful. The eDonator founders are optimistic: “even failing, was a good experience as it was great to have been approved by the board and know that our project has potential. We are making the product and intend to launch this semester so we are trying other partnerships to achieve this”. ‘GRINGOS’ IN START-UP BRASIL Among the nine foreign projects approved in the second call of the Start-Up Brasil is Aktive Bay (www.aktivebay.com), from the United States, whose mission is “to help people to lead more active lives by connecting them with resources and local sports. The platform
Imagem: Reprodução/http://startupbrasil.mcti.gov.br
brasilobserver.co.uk 11 also connects people to each other, creating a more integrated sports community”, Stephan Shahinian, creator of the project told Brasil Observer. Shahinian said the decision to locate his company in Brazil made good business sense, but was also emotional: “I visited Brazil a few times and fell in love with the country and its vibrant culture”. The business factors speak for themselves, Shahinian pointed to the World Cup and the Olympic Games as his product is so linked to sports and that his competitors in Los Angeles have not yet arrived in Brazil . Even thought Aktive Bay was rejected in the first round of StartUp Brasil, the company will still benefit from accelerator Pipa (www.pipa.vc), from Rio de Janeiro. “We are delighted to partner with Pipa, as they share many of our values of positive impacts. The plan is to launch a Brazilian version of Aktive Bay in June, and later on to launch a mobile app”, said Shahinian.
The strong online presence of Brazilians is a very important factor in attracting foreign companies. Brazil is the sixth largest internet market in the world with over 85 million users in 2012 - and is the second largest group of active users of Facebook and Twitter. The statistics for mobile phone usage is even more attractive with more than 120 million users in 2012. All this, coupled with incentives for the development of a more dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem, means the country has good prospects for the future of its technology based economy. Estimates suggest that there are over ten thousand startups in Brazil today that made almost R$ 2 billion in 2012. The maturing of this sector certainly will pass with time and will continue to grow. For more information about the Start-Up Brasil program, go www.startupbrasil.mcti.gov.br. The selection of startups for the third round of the program will start in March 2014.
DEVELOPMENTS CATCH THE ATTENTION OF UK COMPANIES
Data from UK Trade & Investment Brazil indicate an increase in the interest of Brazilian companies commencing their operations in the UK as a platform for global growth companies. “Our portfolio of companies interested jumped from 75 to 340 in the last 10 months. Since the beginning of activities, UKTI has supported 50 Brazilian companies to internationalize their operations in the UK and our goal is to take over 20 companies between 2014 and 2016.” Rachel Kibriti, manager of foreign investment to the UK from UKTI told BrasilObserver. In November last year, UKTI launched the Sirius
programn in Brazil, with a goal of attracting entrepreneurial talent from around the world to start their business in Britain. Kibriti reported that several Brazilians are among the finalists of the program, which offers £12,000 for each team member and entrepreneur over for 12 months, though the final results of the selection have not been disclosed. UKTI is also promoting in Brazil “IT and Innovation Competition for the UK”, which will select 10 digital companies to participate in the Rio Info Europe 2014 in London, this May.
12 brasilobserver.co.uk
WORLD CUP 2014 Photos: Divulgation/Portal da Copa
2014 WORLD CUP The capital of the Bahia State will host six matches during the World Cup, including two big European games in the first phase: Spain against Netherlands and Germany versus Portugal
All saints of Salvador By Nathália Braga
The first capital of Brazil promises to be one of the hottest places to be during the World Cup - and not just because of the intense heat that reigns there throughout the year. The joyful nature of the people of Bahia combined with the lush colours of the city will surely provide tourists a very Brazilian experience, with its special emphasis on miscegenation that is an unmistakable characteristic of Brazil. One of the major tourist destinations of the country, the city of Salvador is famous for its calm, clear waters. From the historic centre to the Farol da Barra, the streets of Salvador breathe history. With its typography divided into high and low, it is not difficult to map the city to unveil its sights. At the high end is the traditional district of Pelourinho, which gets its name because it was where the Portuguese authorities at the time of colonial Brazil punished criminals, especially black slaves. Today, considered a Heritage Site by the UN (since 1985), the site plays an important role in preserving part of the country’s history, with old houses from the 17th and 18th centuries and Portuguese architecture in the colonial style mixed with scenes of major parties when the
Brazilian football team graces the pitch. Foreigners probably have already seen the streets of ‘Pelô’, as it is affectionately called by its habitants, in the music video ‘They Do not Care About Us’ by Michael Jackson. This time, however, the 2014 FIFA World Cup brings the world the opportunity to meet Pelourinho alive and with all its colours, personally. It is also in the historic centre where there is a mix of religiosity, because Salvador has in the Candomblé its Catholic churches - such as the San Francisco church with its Baroque style full of intricate details. Religious syncretism is a striking feature of Salvador – and it is not for nothing that the historical name of the city is ‘Holy Saviour of the Bay of all Saints’, in the literal translation to English. FONTE NOVA ARENA For the World Cup, the town had the Fonte Nova Arena rebuilt completely, and it is now ready to stage six matches of the competition - four games from the first round and two from the knock-out phase. Officially called Octavio Manga-
beira Stadium, opened in 1951, it was used until the end of 2007. Three years later, it was demolished to make way for the new arena. The project cost 591.7 million reais (around £160 million) and the capacity of the arena is just over 52 thousand spectators. Three of the four matches of the first phase will have top teams from their respective groups, including a replay of the duel at the end of the last World Cup final: in June 13, Spain will play against the Netherlands. Later that month on the 16th, Germany play Portugal; and on the 20th, Switzerland take to the pitch against France. Then, Bosnia and Herzegovina play against Iran on day 25. The state capital still receives a qualifying match and one quarter-final on days 1 and July 5, respectively. The reconstruction project of the arena kept original features, but the stadia gained a cover with a metal frame, a panoramic restaurant and a museum of football. In the future, through a public-private partnership, a new parking facility, shopping, hotels and a concert hall will be provided, turning the arena into a complex of events and tourism.
WORLD CUP 2014
brasilobserver.co.uk 13
POSITIVE: SOCIAL PROJECTS AND JOBS
SALVADOR - BAHIA Region: Northeast Population: 2,710,968 inhabitants Area: 706.799 km ² Weather: Tropical Atlantic, with an annual average of 26° C Vegetation: Atlantic Forest
FONTE NOVA ARENA Amount invested: R$ 591 million Capacity: 52,000 people Field Dimensions: 105 X 68 meters
USEFUL LINKS www.visitbrasil.com http://www.secopa.ba.gov.br http://www.portal2014.org.br/ cidades-sedes/SALVADOR
rena Fonte Nova was rebuilt at a cost of nearly R$ 600 million (around £160 million). Maximum stadium capacity is 52,000
With an investment of 700 thousand reais in Salvador, 14 projects of vocational qualifications for the Social Legacy Project for the 2014 World Cup were approved. The initiative aims to implement a set of projects and socio-educational, cultural, environmental and regional actions, following high-impact themes such as education, sports and culture and generation of employment and income, and health and human and citizenship rights and the environment. The project is being conducted in partnership with the State Department for the Affairs of the World Cup Brazil 2014 World Cup (Secopa) and the State University of Bahia (UNEB). In late 2013, another training program, the program courses Qualities and Services, also conducted by Secopa in partnership with the National Commercial Training Service (Senac - BA), certified 690 professionals to work in several areas. The qualification focused on professions that aim to meet the tourist demand that the city should receive with the World Cup, such as ticket takers, maids, waiters, guides for nautical tourism, professional kitchen workers and security, among other professionals. Besides projects in education, thousands of jobs vacancies have been generated in the Fonte Nova Arena.
NEGATIVE: WORKS IN AIRPORT SUSPENDED The two main football teams from Salvador are Bahia and Vitoria. While Bahia was the Brazilian champion in 1988 and won the Brazil Cup in 1959, the Vitoria team have won the Northeast Cup three times and were the runners-up in the Brazilian championship of 1993. Vitoria is also remembered in the football world for players like Bebeto and Dida. HISTORY
Elevator Lacerda, Pelourinho and Barra Lighthouse are among the most popular attractions
Salvador was the first capital of Brazil, between 1549 and 1763. The city was chosen as it was well positioned for navigation by the Portuguese in the Bay of All Saints. The Portuguese colonization began in Salvador, which was the first city founded in Brazil. It wasn’t long before the capital became a major port. The ships docked in the Model Market area in downtown, an area that attracts many tourists until this day. Salvador was the point of arrival for slaves working on the sugar mill, which made the city grow under the influence of the Portuguese, with the mostly African and Indian slaves transforming the Bahia capital into the multicultural city it is today.
From Capoeira to Candomblé rituals, Salvador is known for its rhythms and drumming with different purposes and beliefs. For 214 years, Salvador had the title of Brazilian capital until in 1763, when that was transferred to Rio de Janeiro. Even without being the capital of Brazil, the city continued to grow and today has great influence on the country’s economy, being the economic hub of the Northeast and the third largest city in terms of population, with over 2.7 million inhabitants. Bahia, it is important to say, is also home to great names of Brazilian music such as Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Joao Gilberto and Dorival Caymmi, among others. Some say that samba was born in Bahia, and not in Rio de Janeiro. This takes into account the transition from drumming of African slaves from their countries of origin to the city of Salvador during the colonial period, with a consequent shift to Rio de Janeiro as the capital of Brazil was moved to the city in the Southeast. One way or another, Pedro Alvares Cabral arrived in Bahia, more precisely in the city of Porto Seguro (read more on pages 22 and 23), and it is right to say that there is where the roots of Brazil began.
Late in the second phase of construction of the terminal at the Luís Eduardo Magalhães International Airport, the works were suspended by the Minister of Civil Aviation Secretariat of the Presidency, Wellington Moreira Franco, earlier this year. The delay of over 90 days was issued after an inspection carried out in late January. The second phase will be completed only after the World Cup. According to official information, since last year seven additional aircraft parking sites were created. Reforms of toilets and baby changing facilities are completed, as well as the creation of 36 new posts of check-in. Due to construction delays and also problems with mobility, Salvador was in seventh place in the ranking of the best cities prepared to receive the World Cup. Airport Luis Eduardo Magalhães won note 3. Mobility had note 2 and stadium note 3. In total, the city added 8 points, the same score of the city of Recife and behind Belo Horizonte (12 points), Fortaleza (11 points), Natal and Rio de Janeiro (10 points) and São Paulo (9 points).
14 brasilobserver.co.uk
CONECTANDO
A MUSICAL ELDORADO By Melissa Becker – from Birmingham, UK
The music that once filled Brazil’s manyregal colonial will be presented in England when Ex Cathedra brings precious pieces of Baroque music to lifefor their next concert at Birmingham Town Hall on Saturday 1 March. Brazilian Baroque: A Musical Eldorado is part of the international concert season taking place in Birmingham. Over the last ten years, Ex Cathedra has developed an international reputation for researching and performingBaroque music from Latin American. Mexico and Bolivia were the first to have their historic sounds appreciated by the group. This research and performances of “musical archaeology” has resulted in three albumsso far, released by Hyperion Records. The leading UK-based choir and music ensemble were motivated by many different reasons when choosing to perform music created during back in Brazil’s colonial times. In addition to being another piece in Ex Cathedra’s Latin Baroque jigsaw puzzle, the group also thought it was a fitting time to focus on Brazil with this year’s World Cup a few months away and Rio Olympics Games, in 2016. In bringing this little known Brazilian music to the stage, they also hope to challenge stereotypes. “Around the world, there is a lot of focus on Brazil, so I wanted to try to explore and celebrate the country’s colonial music as this would be something slightly different from what everybody else is paying attention to”, said Jeffrey Skidmore, Ex Cathedra’s artistic director. In 2012, Skidmore visited Brazil for the first time and began researching music from the Baroque period, spending time mainly in Rio and Ouro Pre-
to but also visiting Belo Horizonte, São Paulo and Salvador. Skidmore said he was impressed by the cultural wealth there and“absolutely in love with the whole business of it”. In contrast to Brazil’s celebrated Baroque architecture, the music from that time is not widely popular, there or abroad. The names of the great composers from the time, like José Maurício Nunes Garcia and Lobo Mesquita, seem to be little known outside of experts circles. Skidmore believes that the music is equally impressive and as important as the architecture and that they fit each other perfectly. “When I visited the colonial cities, I saw those wonderful, beautiful churches -they need more music in them. People need to understand how rich Brazil’s musical heritage. It is not just samba and bossa nova”, he points out. Brazil’sBaroque music is quite differentto the music from the other countries previously researched by Ex Cathedra. These contrasts are not only a result of their Portuguese rather than Spanish colonial powers, but also influenced by the indigenous population in Brazil, which was distinct from the Quechuan and Inca civilizations. Although the music was European in its created, the work by the Brazilian composers seems to be richer in many ways, with bigger instrumental groups and a certain freedom. “A lot of this colonial Brazilian music was written by mixed raced musicians. This is an interesting aspect, along with how itwas assimilated by the different groups in all these cities, which the musicians were part of. They had a lot of power and freedom to do what they wanted to do. A better
Ex Cathedra group uncovers and restores precious pieces of Brazil’s Baroque music for concert in Birmingham
Photo: Paul Arthur
Ex Cathedra: the research makes all the difference to this musical collective
picture will emerge as we get to know the music, it’s a process of discovery”, added Skidmore. The concert in Birmingham is just the beginning of this work, which should be represented in an album in the future. The songs to be presented in the Town Hall are from the end of the 17th century to 1811 and will act as introduction to the variety, depth and scope of the Brazil’s colonial music. For added authenticity, the Brazilian violinist Rodolfo Ritcher, will also take part in the event. The group hopes to uncover and ignite interest in a part of this South American heritage that is largely unknown in the UK. Funded by Arts Council England, Ex Cathedra is resident at the Town and the Symphony Hall, two of the most prestigious venues in Birmingham and tours both nationally and internationally, most recently to Germany, Belgium and Spain. The group would also like to present Brazilian Baroque: A Musical Eldorado in other parts of the UK and in Brazil. g
More Information: http://excathedra.co.uk
HOW TO PARTICIPATE? Conectando is a project developed by the Brasil Observer that aims to put into practice the concept of ‘glocal’ communication, helping a local story find a global audience of readers. You can be involved too, just send your story to us! Find out how to get involved by contacting conectando@brasilobserver.co.uk.
brasilobserver.co.uk 15
Brasil Observer
GUIDE LONDON SINGS TO THE TUNE OF VILLA-LOBOS A packed day of events at the Barbican celebrates the great Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos (18871959), culminating in the BBC Symphony Orchestra playing “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5”. >> Read more on Pages 16 and 17 Dia de eventos no Barbican celebra o grande compositor brasileiro Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959), culminando com a Orquestra Sinfônica da BBC a tocar “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5”. >> Leia mais nas páginas 16 e 17
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Foto: Divulgação
e Do chor o lub
uk
CLUBE DO CHORO UK IS BACK IN 2014 FOR A NEW SEASON OF MUSIC, DANCE AND HAPPINESS!!! LEAVE LONDON AT THE DOOR AND ENTER LAPA FOR THE EVENING! TOCA DE TATU WILL BE PERFORMING ON MARCH 8th! FULL DETAILS ON OUR WEBSITE, WWW.CLUBEDOCHORO.CO.UK !!
16 brasilobserver.co.uk By Gabriela Lobianco
VILLA-LOBOS HONOURED WITH CONCERTS IN LONDON
The BBC Symphony Orchestra and musicians from the prestigious the Guildhall School will present a series of chamber concerts, choir arrangements and full orchestra events as part of the event, Total Immersion: Villa- Lobos, organized by the Barbican on 8 March. Alongside the musical presentations, there will be lectures and a screening of the film “The Discovery of Brazil”, all in a celebration of enjoyment and immersion in the music of the Brazilian composer. The Brasil Observer, sloe to the conductor of the BBC Orchestra, Sakari Oramo, who is enthusiastic in his admiration for Villa-Lobos. Oramo said that the value and relevance of the Brazilian’s artistic work meant he deserved recognition and honour in such an event. “I wanted to do this because we in Europe are quite ignorant of the amazing diversity, invention and appeal that Villa-Lobos’s music carries,” he said. This is the first event of “Total Immersion” that Oramo will be part of in his role as conductor of
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Heitor Villa-Lobos was one of the greatest champions of Brazilian modernist music and culture
Por Gabriela Lobianco
VILLA-LOBOS É HOMENAGEADO COM CONCERTOS EM LONDRES
A Orquestra Sinfônica da BCC e os músicos da escola Guildhall apresentarão concertos de câmara, coral e orquestra como parte das atrações do evento Total Immersion: Villa-Lobos, organizado pelo Barbican Centre, em Londres, no dia 8 de março de 2014. Além disso, haverá palestras e a exibição do filme “O descobrimento do Brasil”, que vão celebrar um dia de apreciação e imersão na música de Heitor Villa-Lobos no Reino Unido. Ao Brasil Observer, o regente da Orquestra da BBC, o finlandês Sakari Oramo, não escondeu a sua admiração pelas composições do brasileiro. Segundo ele, o musicista foi o escolhido para ser homenageado devido ao valor e relevância da sua obra artística: “Quis homenagear Villa-Lobos porque as pessoas na Europa são bastante desinformadas da diversidade, inovação e recursos que a música dele carrega”, disse. Esse é o primeiro evento do “Total Immersion” que Oramo participa como regente da Orquestra da BBC e
brasilobserver.co.uk 17 the BBC Orchestra and the choice of Villa-Lobos as a composer to be honoured was made solely by him. Paul Hughes, general manager of the BBC Orchestra, believes this to have been a great option, “It seemed such a perfect choice to mirror the sporting and the cultural excellence of Brazil,” he said. ‘BACHIANAS BRASILEIRAS’ Born in Rio de Janeiro, Heitor Villa-Lobos went on to become one of the greatest champions of Brazilian modernist music and culture, participating in the Week of Modern Art in 1922. In 1923, he made his first trip to Europe, returning in 1925, as an acclaimed musician. In his creative legacy, Villa-Lobos leaves us work that contains nuances of Brazil’s regional cultures, merged with elements of popular and indigenous songs. The program of concerts and events, Total Immersion: Villa-Lobos includes his most widely known work, “Bachianas Brasileiras”, which was inspired by the German composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, with
the intention of building a Brazilian version of the Brandenburg Concerts. For this retrospective event, Sakari Oramo selected the “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5”, because “it is Villa-Lobos’s best known work, and a really good entry point to his musical world, representing one important strand in his musical thinking”. This event is clearly very personal for Oramo, as well as selecting works to be included, the famous cantata of “Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5” will be performed by his wife, the soprano Anu Komsi. This work is divided into two movements: Adagio Aria and Allegretto Dance and it seems fitting that Komsi should be a part of it considering that Villa-Lobos wrote Adagio Aria as a tribute to his wife Arminda. There is lot more music to discover at this event, as Oramo points out, “We are also including rarer works like his 9th Symphony, which I think is wonderful, along with “Uirapurum” and more.” Paul Hughes also said that “While some of the works are very popular and well-known, we are also inviting
the public to discover less familiar treasures from Villa-Lobos”. As a modernist, the Brazilian maestro Villa-Lobos was inspired by various movements and composers in creating his music and identity. Oramo is convinced that Villa-Lobos’ variety from folk styles to homages to European sounds will be a hit with the British public, “I want our performances to do justice to this extraordinary music. What the public needs is exposure to all the different facets of Villa Lobos”. CINEMA The event will also feature a screening of the film “The Discovery of Brazil”, directed by Humberto Mauro. Villa- Lobos composed the soundtrack for the movie which retells Portugal’s arrival to Brazil in 1500, led by the military commander and Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral. The film will be projected in Portuguese with English subtitles, so many will be able to enjoy the spectacle and story.
TOTAL IMMERSION: VILLA-LOBOS When: March 8 Where: Barbican Centre Tickets: £32-50 (Day Pass) Info: www.bbc.co.uk/symphonyorchestra
Sakari Oramo Will conduct the BBC Symphony Orchestra for the first time, while his wife Anu Komsi will sing “Brachianas Brasileiras No. 5”
a escolha de Villa-Lobos como compositor a ser homenageado foi feita unicamente por ele. Paul Hughes, gerente geral da Orquestra da BBC, acredita que tenha sido uma ótima opção. “Pareceu-nos a escolha perfeita para espelhar a excelência esportiva e cultural do Brasil”, comentou. ‘BACHIANAS BRASILEIRAS’ Carioca da Gema, Heitor Villa-Lobos é um dos maiores expoentes da música modernista do Brasil, tendo participado da Semana de Arte Moderna de 1922. Como legado, deixou uma obra que contém nuances das culturas regionais brasileiras fundidas aos elementos das canções populares e indígenas. Em 1923, fez sua primeira viagem à Europa, retornando em 1925, já como músico aclamado. O programa do concerto Total Immersion: VillaLobos envolve o repertório mais conhecido do compositor, as “Bachianas Brasileiras”, peças com influência de
composições do alemão Johann Sebastian Bach. Sua intenção era construir uma versão brasileira dos Concertos de Brandemburgo. Para o evento, Sakari Oramo selecionou “Bachianas Brasileiras nº 5”, pois “trata-se da obra mais conhecida de Villa-Lobos e realmente um bom ponto de entrada para o seu mundo musical, representando uma vertente importante do seu pensamento como artista”. “Bachianas Brasileiras nº 5” inclui uma cantata que no evento será interpretada pela soprano finlandesa Anu Komsi, esposa do Maestro Sakari Oramo. Esse trabalho de Villa-Lobos é dividido em dois movimentos: o Adágio Ária (Cantilena) e o Allegretto Dança (Martelo). Uma curiosidade é que o movimento Adágio Ária (Cantilena) é uma homenagem à Arminda Villa-Lobos, mulher de Heitor Villa-Lobos. Oramo ainda destacou que “estamos também incluindo obras raras como a maravilhosa 9ª Sinfonia, Uirapurum, alguns choros, etc”. Sobre a seleção de obras do evento, Paul Hughes disse que se trata de “obras populares e
bem conhecidas, convidando o público que vai descobrir tesouros menos conhecidos de Villa-Lobos”. Como modernista, o maestro brasileiro Villa-Lobos se inspirou em variadas obras para criar sua música e identidade antropofágica. O condutor da Orquestra Sinfônica da BCC está convencido de que o estilo único e folclórico do musicista será um sucesso com o público britânico. “Quero que a nosso desempenho faça justiça a esta música extraordinária. O que o público precisa é essa exposição a todas as diferentes facetas de VillaLobos”, completou Oramo. CINEMA O evento contará com a exibição do filme “O descobrimento do Brasil”, de Humberto Mauro. Villa-Lobos compôs a trilha sonora para o filme que conta a reivindicação do Brasil por Portugal em 1500, pelo comandante militar e explorador português Pedro Álvares Cabral. O filme será projetado em português com legendas em inglês.
18 brasilobserver.co.uk
GRINGO’S VIEW
FIFA PLAYING GAMES WITH BRAZIL
FIFA FAZ JOGUINHOS COM O BRASIL
Photo: Marcelo Camargo/Agência Brasil Traduzido por Marielle Machado
By Shaun Cumming*
In 1901, British engineers and architects built the “Estação da Luz” to be the São Paulo Railway (nicknamed by Brazilians: Inglesa). Legend has it that they built the main clock tower to resemble Big Ben in London. The specific reason for this was said to be so that the enormous clock would be a constant staring reminder to late Brazilian workers. Right or wrong, Brazil has this reputation for lateness, and this is something the global press has jumped on to inflict more negative news on Brazil in recent days. Fifa was the main puppet master in the story; Tuesday the 18th of February was the final date to decide if Curitiba would be a host city of the World Cup in 2014 or not. Weeks previously, construction workers scrambled to meet the new deadline, and everyone awaited the decision of Fifa’s general secretary Jerome Valcke. Fifa is playing a game with Brazil and I don’t like it. They knew this would cause a media storm and all fingers would point at Brazil. Undoubtedly, in would have been a major embarrassment to Brazil if Curitiba had been ejected from the World Cup. All the while, Fifa was showing to the world that it is the professional body, doing the right thing for the World Cup. Here’s the reality; the threat of eviction from the World Cup was false. It was a bluff at Brazil’s expense. Four games are going to be played in Curitiba - Iran v Nigeria on June 16, Honduras v Ecuador on June 20, Australia v champions Spain on June 23 and Algeria v Russia on June 26. Would Fifa really allow such damage to its own reputation, and its pockets, if it had to refund flight and hotel costs to all the fans going to these games? It would never happen. Fifa knows fine well that Brazil will not mess up. Late, absolutely yes – but being laid back is part of Brazil’s charm, and I certainly don’t think it’s always a bad thing. Fifa knows that Brazil – President Dilma, the construction companies, the state of Parana, and Brazilians
Fifa’s general secretary Jerome Valcke
– would simply not allow the stadiums not to be ready in time for the tournaments starting. The threat and false deadlines are a show – another way to point fingers at Brazil. For what it’s worth, I have had some experiences of lateness in Brazil in a business context, but I’ve had the same problems everywhere else in the world. As I say, one of the reasons I like Brazil is because it’s laid back, but when the time comes, things get done. The irony of the whole tale is that fears were also raised about the World Cup in South Africa. In the end, the event was great. Same thing with the Olympics in London. I was shocked to see that ESPN said on Tuesday that Curitiba, and quote, “Curitiba Set To Be Stripped Of World Cup Games”. This irresponsible statement of ‘fact’, thankfully, wasn’t fact at all. Anyway, who cares what they say. In June the whole world will shift its attention to what I’m sure will be an amazing spectacle. *Shaun is a blogger at www.thebrazilblog.com
A Fifa sabe que o Brasil - a Presidente Dilma, as empresas de construção civil, o Estado do Paraná e os brasileiros - simplesmente não permitirá que os estádios não estejam prontos a tempo para o começo dos jogos. As ameaças e falsos prazos são um show - outra maneira de apontar os dedos para o Brasil. E para falar a verdade, eu mesmo já tive que lidar com o atraso dos brasileiros, na minha vida pessoal e profissional. Mas como eu disse anteriormente, uma das razões de eu gostar do Brasil é pelo ar descontraído do seu povo, só que quando chega a hora H, as coisas são feitas. A ironia de toda essa história é que o mesmo aconteceu com a Copa do Mundo na África do Sul. No final, tudo deu certo. E a mesma coisa com os Jogos Olímpicos de Londres. Fiquei chocado ao ler o que a ESPN disse na segunda-feira antes do anúncio sobre o destino de Curitiba: “Curitiba será descartada dos jogos da Copa do Mundo”. Esta afirmação irresponsável, felizmente, não era verdade. De qualquer forma, quem se importa com o que eles dizem? Em Junho, o mundo inteiro vai focar a sua atenção para o que eu tenho certeza que vai ser um espetáculo incrível.
Em 1901, engenheiros e arquitetos britânicos construíram a Estação da Luz para ser a sede da São Paulo Railway. Diz a lenda que a torre principal com o relógio foi construída para se parecer com o Big Bem - e que a principal razão do enorme relógio estar ali era de ser um lembrete para que os trabalhadores brasileiros não se atrasassem. Certo ou errado, os brasileiros têm essa reputação de estarem sempre atrasados, e isso acabou sendo mais um motivo para a imprensa mundial voltar a fazer comentários negativos sobre o Brasil nos últimos dias. A Fifa tem sido o principal mestre de marionetes nessa história; terça-feira, dia 18 de Fevereiro, foi a data limite para que se decidisse se Curitiba seria uma das cidades-sede da Copa do Mundo em 2014 ou não. Semanas antes, o pessoal estava correndo para cumprir o novo prazo e todos aguardavam a decisão do secretário-geral da Fifa, Jérôme Valcke. A Fifa está jogando com o Brasil e eu não acho isso legal. Eles sabiam que isso iria causar uma tempestade na mídia e todos os dedos seriam apontados para o Brasil. Sem dúvida, teria sido uma grande vergonha se Curitiba tivesse sido expulsa. Durante todo o tempo, a Fifa estava querendo mostrar para o mundo que é um corpo profissional, fazendo a coisa certa para a Copa do Mundo. A verdade é que essa ameaça de despejo nunca de fato aconteceu. Era um blefe à custa do Brasil. Quatro partidas serão jogadas em Curitiba Irã x Nigéria, dia 16 de junho; Honduras x Equador no dia 20 de junho; Austrália x Espanha, dia 23 de junho; e Argélia x Rússia, dia 26 de junho. Será que a Fifa realmente iria permitir sujar a sua própria reputação se tivesse que lidar com pessoas revoltadas por já terem comprado passagens e reservado hotéis para os jogos em Curitiba? Isso nunca iria acontecer. A Fifa sabe bem que o Brasil não vai estragar tudo. Vai sair tudo em cima da hora? Absolutamente sim - mas esse atraso é parte do charme do Brasil, e eu nem acho que seja sempre algo ruim.
brasilobserver.co.uk 19
NINETEEN EIGHT-FOUR BRAZILIAN FILM AWARDED IN BERLIN
BRAZILIAN HIGHLIGHTS Several other Brazilian films were featured at the film festival, including three features and two short films. Features: The Man of the Crowd- Marcelo Gomes and Cao Guimarães Chestnut- David Pretto Praia do Futuro- Karim Aïnouz
By Ricardo Somera
Considered one of the film industry’s main events, with a focus on independent films produced all over the world, this year’s Berlin Film Festival, or the Berlinale as it has come to be known, finished with a special Brazilian flavour. This was thanks to the excellent reception to Hoje Eu Quero Voltar Sozinho (translated and abbreviated in English to The Way He Looks). The first feature film by Daniel Ribeiro, The Way He Looks received the prestigious Teddy Award for best feature film with LGBT themes, the critics’ award for best film and came second in the Panorama public vote for fiction films. After the awards, Ribeiro told O Globo newspaper: “For us, the Berlinale had the best three possible outcomes: it made an impact with the public, achieved awards and had good ticket sales.”
The film follows the story of Leonardo, Gabriel and Giovana, characters from Ribeiro’s 2010 short film, Eu não quero voltar sozinho (I Do not Want Go Back Alone), that proved a great success on the internet with over three million views on YouTube, and available with subtitles in English, French, Spanish and Turkish. The talented young actors from the 2010 production all reprised their roles to tell the story of Leonardo (Guilherme Lobo) a blind teenager who falls in love with a new student at his high school, Gabriel (Fabio Audi), causing upset and jealousy from his best friend, Giovana (Tess Amorim). Those who loved the short film have been anticipating the feature and the film opens in Brazilian cinemas on 11 April withthe viewing rights also sold to eight countries: USA, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, Taiwan, Switzerland and the Netherlands, thou-
gh as of yet there is no release date confirmed in the UK. In their awards conclusion, the Teddy jury said that the film is a series of combinations “that goes beyond a well-exploited coming of age story, and one that gives new meaning to the old saying ‘love is blind’.” This award could mean great things for Ribeiro’s career, previous winners of the Teddy Award included Pedro Almodovar and Gus Van Sant, however this was not first taste of success at the Berlinale as in 2008, his debut feature, Café com Leite, won in the best short film category. It’s great to see so many Brazilian films presented at the event, especially as many, like The Way He Looks tell alternative stories from Brazil, while still following in the traditions of social realism and naturalism propagated by a long line of Brazilian directors before.
avaliado pelo público da mesma Panorama. “Para a gente, o Festival de Berlim teve os três melhores resultados possíveis: repercussão do público, prêmios e vendas”, disse Daniel em entrevista ao jornal O Globo. O filme retoma os personagens de “Eu Não Quero Voltar Sozinho”, curta-metragem de 2010 que fez um grande sucesso na internet e conta com mais de três milhões de visualizações no YouTube, com legendas em inglês, francês, espanhol e turco. Trata-se da história de Leonardo (Guilherme Lobo), um garoto cego que se apaixona por um novo aluno de seu colégio, Gabriel (Fabio Audi). E o relacionamento dos dois é acompanhado pela amiga Giovana (Tess Amorim). O filme estreia nos cinemas brasi-
leiros dia 11 de abril, e já teve seus direitos de exibição vendidos para oito países: Estados Unidos, França, Alemanha, Itália, Reino Unido, Taiwan, Suíça e Holanda. Ainda não há data definida para a exibição aqui na Inglaterra. Ao premiar o longa-metragem, o júri do Teddy declarou que o filme faz uma série de combinações “que vai além de um bem explorado filme sobre virar adulto, dando um novo significado ao velho ditado ‘o amor é cego’”. O Teddy Awards já premiou diretores como Pedro Almodóvar e Gus Van Sant. Essa não foi, porém, a primeira participação de Daniel Ribeiro na Berlinale. Em 2008, seu filme de estreia, “Café com Leite”, ganhou como melhor curta-metragem.
Photo: Divulgation
Shorts: Fernando who Received a Bird from the Sea- Felipe Bragança and Helvécio Marins Jr I Do not Say Goodbye, I Say See You Soon - Giuliana Monteiro
The film’s tagline might be “not every love happens at first sight” but opposite seems the case when it comes to audience reception as it scooped several awards
Por Ricardo Somera
FILME BRASILEIRO PREMIADO NA BERLINALE
Considerado um dos principais eventos da indústria cinematográfica - com foco no cinema autoral produzido em todo o mundo - o Festival de Cinema de Berlim, o Berlinale, acabou dia 16 de fevereiro com um sabor especial para o Brasil. Mais precisamente por conta da excelente recepção do filme “Hoje eu quero voltar sozinho”. Primeiro longa-metragem do diretor paulistano Daniel Ribeiro, o filme “The Way He Looks” (na tradução para o inglês) recebeu o prêmio Teddy de melhor longa para um filme com temática LGBT, o prêmio da crítica de melhor filme da mostra Panorama e ainda um diploma por ter sido o segundo filme de ficção mais bem
20 brasilobserver.co.uk
NEW CANVAS OVER OLD
INSIGHT INTO BRAZILIAN DESIGN By Kate Rintoul
The usual crowds of tourists who throng around Trafalgar Square down to The Strand look a little different in February, when the area around Somerset House becomes fashion Mecca as London Fashion Week comes to town (have a look on the clicks of Zaza Oliva on pages 24 and 25). As an aspiring fashion editor some five years ago, I’d eagerly anticipate LFW. That was until I discovered the International Fashion Showcase – a more-relaxed partner event orchestrated by the British Council and British Fashion Council. Last year I moaned about the lack of Brazilian presence, so was delighted to see the Brazilian Embassy had an exhibition and even happier to find it was curated by one of the country’s hottest designers - Barbara Casasola. Taking place in the imposing front gallery of the embassy, the fashion pieces were presented in sculptural 3D frames, each a different shade of purple, with alternative flooring and accompanied by tropical plants, in homage to Helio Oiticica’s immersive Tropicalia Penetrables installation. It was wonderful to see the new generation of designers’ reverence for Brazil’s rich artistic legacy. Casasola is a designer with a clear understanding and appreciation for the history of art and design. The Spring/ Summer 14 designs shown here exhibited Casasola’s sophistication, the structural clothes were made of black mesh with thick square trims forming a geometric pattern, giving them an unusual rigidity, perfectly offset by feminine soft pale silk camisoles and linings. Like Casasola, Lucas Nascimento also studied and is based in London and the three outfits displayed from his recent winter collection showed great versatility. The oversized butter-soft leather jacket and dress were a triumph with a canary yellow felt lining – a great choice to weather the storms and fend off the winter blues this year. Jewellery designer, Fernando Jorge was the only name I hadn’t heard of previously and I was delighted to discover his work in this show. Featuring unusual shapes and stones, this collection was reminiscent of Art Nouveau designs, with gentle teardrop pendants and organic bud-like shapes. The monochrome designs of Vitorino Campos exhibited an incredible level of craftsmanship in their tailoring and construction. Striking layers of black and white silk had been impeccably combined to form diamond shapes. While Brazilian designers might feel the need to distance themselves from the stereotype that the whole nation saunters around in bikinis, designer Guilherme Viera has embraced and elevated this preconception. Viera creates highly original and aspirational pieces of clothing, that happen to be beachwear. The inspiration, design and attitude of these young designers as represented in this showcase was fantastic and provided a perfect insight into Brazilian design, past, present and future for an international audience.
INTROSPECÇÃO NO DESIGN BRASILEIRO Photo: Divulgation
Por Kate Rintoul
Designer: Barbara Casasola
MORE BRAZILIAN DESIGN The Embassy of Brazil and Vanishing Points Design proudly present Brazilian Design: Modern & Contemporary Furniture, the largest and most important exhibition ever held about Brazilian design in the United Kingdom. Over 45 pieces will be on display offering visitors a comprehensive overview of Brazilian modernist and contemporary design, warranting the status of Brazil as one of the leading producers of furniture and object design in the world. From the 27th of March to the 9th of May: http://goo.gl/qFYXx6.
As habituais multidões de turistas que se amontoam em torno da Trafalgar Square até o The Strand estavam um pouco diferentes em fevereiro, quando a área em torno da Somerset House torna-se a Meca da moda com a London Fashion Week (vejas os cliques de Zazá Oliva nas páginas 24 e 25). Como uma aspirante editora de moda, cinco anos atrás eu ficava extremamente ansiosa pela LFW. Até que eu descobri a International Fashion Showcase – um evento paralelo muito mais relaxante organizado pelo British Council e pelo British Fashion Council. No ano passado, me desapontei pela não presença do Brasil, por isso fiquei muito satisfeita de ver que em 2014 a Embaixada Brasileira organizou uma exposição – e ainda mais feliz por saber que a curadoria tinha ficado por conta de uma das designers mais “quentes” do país: Barbara Casasola. Exibidas na imponente galeria frontal da embaixada, as peças de moda foram apresentadas em quadros 3D esculturais, cada um num tom diferente de roxo, com piso alternativo acompanhado por plantas tropicais, em homenagem a instalação imersiva Tropicália Penetrables, de Hélio Oiticica. Foi maravilhoso ver a nova geração de designers reverenciando o rico legado artístico do Brasil. Casasola é uma designer com claro entendimento e apreço pela história da arte e do design. Os 14 desenhos exibidos mostraram toda a sofisticação de Casasola: as roupas estruturais foram feitas de malha preta com pequenos quadrados formando um padrão geométrico, dando-lhes uma rigidez incomum, perfeitamente compensada por femininas camisolas macias de seda. Como Casasola, Lucas Nascimento também estudou e mora em Londres, e os três trajes exibidos de sua coleção de inverno mostraram grande versatilidade. A combinação de jaqueta de couro de grandes dimensões e macia como manteiga com vestido foi triunfal com o forro de feltro amarelo - uma ótima opção para enfrentar as tempestades deste ano. Designer de jóias, Fernando Jorge foi o único nome que eu não tinha ouvido falar anteriormente, e fiquei muito feliz ao descobrir o seu trabalho nessa exibição. Com formas e pedras incomuns, sua coleção lembra a arte Nouveau, com pingentes de lágrima suaves. Os desenhos monocromáticos de Vitorino Campos explicitaram um incrível nível de sabedoria artesanal em sua alfaiataria e construção. Camadas de seda preta e branca foram impecavelmente combinadas para formar losangos. Enquanto designers brasileiros podem sentir a necessidade de se distanciarem do estereótipo de que toda a nação passeia de biquínis, o designer Guilherme Viera abraçou e elevou esse conceito. Viera cria peças altamente originais de vestuário, que acabam se enquadrando no que podemos chamar de “beachwear”. A inspiração, os desenhos e a atitude destes jovens designers representados na mostra foram fantásticos uma visão perfeita do design brasileiro: passado, presente e futuro para uma audiência internacional.
brasilobserver.co.uk 21
GOING OUT BRAZILIAN CARNIVAL HITS LONDON
Foto: Divulgação
NATURAL BEAUTY
Between 1 to 5 March, Brazil will be celebrating Carnival in almost every corner of the country. The rhythms of samba, frevo, maracatu and many others will embrace the people on the streets for five days of parties. For those who will be in London and don’t want to get bored seeing pictures on social networks, here we give you three options to get into the Carnival feeling and enjoy the party!
GLOBAL CARNIVAL SHOWCASE
RIO CARNIVAL WEEKENDER
CARNIVAL DO GUANABARA
Saturday 1 March
27 Feb – March
27 – March
Where The Tabernacle, 34-35 Powis
Where Floripa, 91-93 Great Eastern St, EC2A 3HZ
Where Guanabara, New London Theatre, Parker St,
Square, W11 2AY | Tickets £6 - £11
Tickets Different prices £6 - £11
WC2B 5PW | Tickets From £6
>> http://goo.gl/4IYsBQ
>> www.floripalondon.com
>> http://goo.gl/BLmWJL
All of the culture, creativity and spectacle of Carnival season is coming to the Tabernacle in Notting Hill for the Global Carnival Showcase. Brought to you by the UK Centre for Carnival Arts, this event is set to show off the very best of the world’s Carnivals, with live performances from internationally renowned artists such as the Engine Room, Mangrove Steel Band and DJ Hot Wax. Award-winning costumes will be on display too, offering people the opportunity to see up close some of the dazzling art which makes Carnival parades such a spectacle to watch.
You might not be in Rio for the Carnival, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one of Brazil’s finest exports! From 27 Feb – 2March sees Floripa home to the Rio Carnival Weekender with four days of top quality Brazilian entertainment. To kick off the weekender Floripa invite the one and only Andre Luz to perform. His smooth voice and excellent mix of samba jive has been delighting audiences all over London, including at top jazz venue Ronnie Scotts! Plus, East London Capoeira will also be there to demonstrate the beauty and technique of this ancient martial art! They’ll also be serving up delicious Brazilian tapas and cocktails all night every night to get you into the Rio Carnival spirit in London style!
Guanabara has become the home of carnival of London and this year is hosting seven hot nights of Carnival and celebration starting on Wednesday the 26February. The Carnival Parade on Thursday 27 and Friday 28 will feature the fantastic Taste Of Brazil Dance Show. Then on Saturday 1 March they host the Bal De Masque (masked ball) where revellers can really get into the party spirit, wear their finest masks and cover themselves in glitter and body paint. The week’s biggest bash, the FORRO Carnival Special, will be a late night party on the Sunday evening with headliners Zeu Azevedo and the Forrodaqui band. The warm up acts will also be great, join Carlos Andre earlier in the evening to learn a few ‘forro’ moves to put to use when the party gets started.
“Desde 1992 servindo a Comunidade Brasileira”
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20 anos
Aniversário em 2012 – Vamos celebrar! Garantia do melhor preço. Entre em contato conosco para mais detalhes.
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22 brasilobserver.co.uk
TRAVEL
LIFE’S A BEACH IN BAHIA
The mixture of cultures and creeds, who have been received with generosity, joy and integration, have made Salvador an interesting city and one that continues to attract travellers to this day. You might have read in our World Cup special on pages 12 and 13, that the capital of Bahia and indeed Brazil’s first capital, is a a place of great historical value that goes back further than the abundant Portuguese colonialism buildings of the city would suggest. In addition to a rich cultural history, natural beauty is also abundant, the beaches of Salvador and the whole state of Bahia have been drawing making tourists fall in love with one of the most blessed coasts found anywhere in the world. Without leaving the city, you can enjoy beautiful beaches, including the famous Itapuã, which is in the northern region of Salvador, a few minutes from the bustle of downtown. In the early 1970s, Vinicius de Moraes, one of the biggest names in Brazilian music and poetry, composed
Photos: Divulgation / Turismo Bahia
A VIDA É UMA PRAIA NA BAHIA
A mistura de raças, culturas e credos, que recebeu doses generosas de alegria e sincretismo, conferiu a Salvador um astral único que atrai brasileiros e estrangeiros o ano inteiro. Como vimos nas páginas 12 e 13, a capital da Bahia, primeira capital do Brasil, carrega consigo grande valor histórico, sendo impossível não se deixar levar pelos símbolos do colonialismo português abundantes na cidade. Mais do que isso, porém, são as praias de Salvador e da Bahia que fazem os turistas amarem este que é um dos litorais mais abençoados pela natureza do mundo. Sem sair da cidade, é possível encontrar praias belíssimas, como a famosa praia de Itapuã, que fica na região norte da cidade de Salvador, a poucos minutos do centro. No início da década de 1970, Vinicius de Moraes, um dos maiores nomes da música e da poesia brasileira, compôs “Tarde em Itapuã”: “É bom... passar uma tarde em Itapuã / Ao sol que arde em
brasilobserver.co.uk 23
Tarde em Itapuã (Afternoon in Itapuã). Roughly translated, the lyrics says something like “...It is good to spend an afternoon in Itapuã / The sun shines in Itapuã / Listen to the sea in Itapuã / Speak of love in Itapuã”. This was enough to earn international fame for the beach and as many have discovered since, it really is worth spending an afternoon in Itapuã. The distinct rock formation of the beach creates natural pools at low tide, great for swimming and the sand is super soft for catching some rays. Another must-see attraction is the Itaparica Island, located in All Saints Bay and home to two cities: Itaparica and Vera Cruz. Here it is still possible to find almost deserted beaches, among which, Berlinque, at the end of Vera Cruz stands out. For those who preferthe hustle and people watching opportunities, the beaches of Ponta de Areia and Itaparica have plenty of kiosks serving delicious local cuisine like traditional acarajé (black eyed pea and
prawn fritters) and seafood. There are also drinks made from the abundant local fruits like mango, umbu and caja. The journey to the island from Salvador, takes 1h15 by ferry. DISCOVER WHERE BRAZIL WAS BORN About 700 kilometers from Salvador, in southern Bahia state, is the city of Porto Seguro, the first landing point of the Portuguese who arrived in Brazil in 1500. The city is quite something to see: miles of colourful cliffs stretch as far as the eyes can see, coral reefs glisten under the sea, miles of Atlantic Forest vegetation span the landscape it is no wonder that the Portuguese were enchanted, making the region the cradle of the country. More than five hundred years later, the natural beauties which conquered Cabral and his crew are still attracting visitors, but there is also a lot more to the region.
The city is not just for history fans, the region’s vibrant music scene attracts many groups of young people. However, the popularity of axé music, especially in Taperapua Beach and Discovery Runway, are not the only options for those seeking peace and tranquillity. Try visiting the charming villages of Arraial d´Ajuda and Trancoso, close to Porto Seguro city. The titles of National Heritage and Natural Heritage were not awarded to Porto Seguro by chance and the city’s people fondly guard their cultural, architectural and natural treasures. This Brazilian history is also celebrated in perfect harmony with the culture of the local pataxós indians who reside in the Marine Park. There is genuinely something for every traveller in Bahia state, and thankfully it is still possible to find that quiet beach or local restaurant that is packed with locals to make the experience truly memorable.
Itapuã beach (1); Mark of the discovery in Porto Seguro (2); Itaparica Island (3); and Trancoso village
Itapuã / Ouvir o mar de Itapuã / Falar de amor em Itapuã”. Foi o suficiente para o local ganhar fama internacional. Vale a pena passar uma tarde em Itapuã, praia cuja formação rochosa faz com que surjam piscinas naturais quando a maré baixa, ótimas para banho. Outra atração imperdível é a Ilha de Itaparica, localizada na Baía de Todos os Santos e que abriga dois municípios: Itaparica e Vera Cruz. Em sua extensão é possível encontrar enseadas praticamente desertas, dentre elas destaca-se Berlinque, na extremidade de Vera Cruz. Para quem gosta de um pouco mais de agitação e infra-estrutura, as praias de Ponta de Areia e Itaparica reúnem quiosques que servem delícias da gastronomia local como o tradicional acarajé e porções de peixe. Também há bebidas a base de frutas regionais abundantes como manga, umbu e cajá. Saindo da cidade de Salvador, leva-se 1h15 de ferry boat para se chegar ao local.
BERÇO DO BRASIL A cerca de 700 quilômetros de Salvador, na região sul do Estado da Bahia, está a cidade de Porto Seguro. Foi lá que desembarcaram os portugueses que descobriram o Brasil. Quilômetros de falésias coloridas a perder de vista, recifes de corais, vegetação de Mata Atlântica... Não foi à toa que os portugueses se encantaram com as terras que acabavam de descobrir, transformando a região no berço do país. Mais de quinhentos anos depois, as belezas naturais que conquistaram Cabral e sua turma continuam sendo as responsáveis pela leva de turistas que chegam por terra e ar. Mas elas não são mais as únicas razões. A fama da animação da Costa do Descobrimento corre o mundo e chama a atenção de grupos de jovens que procuram agito 24 horas por dia. Entretanto, embora a palavra de ordem seja axé – em especial na
praia de Taperapuã e na Passarela do Descobrimento (mais conhecida como Passarela do Álcool) -, há opções também para quem busca paz e tranquilidade, como as charmosas vilas de Arraial d´Ajuda e de Trancoso, próximas à Porto Seguro. Os títulos de Patrimônio Histórico Nacional e de Patrimônio Natural da Humanidade não foram conferidos por acaso. Porto Seguro guarda com carinho suas riquezas culturais, arquitetônicas e naturais, reunindo-as harmoniosamente. Da cultura dos índios pataxós ao Parque Marinho Recife de Fora, incluindo museus e prédios históricos, a preservação é uma constante.
USEFUL LINKS www.visitbrasil.com | www.bahia.com.br | www.salvador.info
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