Belém hosts event celebrating the memory of activist Lélia Gonzalez starting May 20
Lélia Gonzalez (1935 - 1994) was a Brazilian intellectual, author, teacher, philosopher, and anthropologist. The event will take place at Espaço São José Liberto, in Jurunas.
Belém will be the stage, starting May 20, for the closing of the Project Memory Lélia Gonzalez: Paths and Antiracist and Antisexist Reflections, at Espaço São José Liberto, located in Praça Amazonas. The initiative celebrates the 90th anniversary of the birth of the intellectual, activist, and reference of the black movement in Brazil.
In Belém, the initiative has the support of the Government of Pará, through the state secretariats of Economic Development, Mining and Energy (Sedeme) and Education (Seduc). The project has already traveled through six Brazilian capitals over a year and a half and will conclude its commemorative cycle in the capital of Pará. The educational exhibition will be on display until June 29.
The program includes the educational exhibition, composed of panels that present the trajectory of the honoree, in addition to the Seminar "Paths and Antiracist and Antisexist Reflections," already held in Belo Horizonte, Salvador, São Luís, Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and Porto Alegre. The project will offer guided and free school visits for about two thousand high school students.
The Project Memory – Lélia Gonzalez: Paths and Antiracist and Antisexist Reflections is an initiative of the Banco do Brasil Foundation, with the realization of the Association of Friends of Cinema and Culture (AACIC). The proposal is to rescue and publicize the trajectory of Lélia Gonzalez.
In the capital of Pará, the seminar will feature prominent names in the fight for racial and gender equality. Confirmed attendees include Jurema Batista, professor and politician nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize; Zélia Amador de Deus, professor and specialist in Afro-diasporic culture; Mônica Conrado, sociologist and professor at UFPA; Márcia Lima, coordinator of the Afro Center of the Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning (Cebrap); Ana Maria Sousa, tourism expert and representative of BB Black Power. Mediation will be conducted by Vanusa Cardoso, co-founder of the Front in Defense of Territories, and Nilma Bentes, co-founder of the Fulanas Network – Black Women of the Brazilian Amazon.
During the event, the audience will be invited to watch a video documentary about the trajectory of Lélia Gonzalez. Following that, there will be lectures and debates with professors, scholars, intellectuals, and activists from black and women's movements.
A global reference of black feminism and one of the greatest Brazilian thinkers, Lélia Gonzalez was a pioneer in the public debate on race and gender. Her intellectual contribution will be revisited didactically through the project's activities.
Throughout the project's implementation, the expectation is to reach more than 24 thousand people in face-to-face activities, including about 14 thousand students from public education networks.
Among the materials produced by the project is a documentary about Lélia Gonzalez (link), lasting 32 minutes, which includes accessibility features such as Libras, audio description, and subtitles. The film will be shown on public, community, university, and legislative TV channels.
The initiative also includes a photobiographical book, available for free in e-book, audiobook, and PDF formats. Another highlight is the launch of the Pedagogical Almanac on Lélia Gonzalez, an accessible and innovative educational tool aimed at teachers, educators, and students of all education levels. The Memory Project will conclude in Belém (PA) on June 29, but will continue to promote Lélia Gonzalez's legacy through the website.
SERVICE:
Memory Project – Seminar Lélia Gonzalez: Paths and Antiracist and Antisexist Reflections
Date: May 20 and 21, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM to 10 PM
Location: Amphitheater Coliseu das Artes – Espaço São José Liberto, in Praça Amazonas, in Jurunas.
Free tickets can be obtained through Sympla (subject to room capacity).
Memory Project – Educational Exhibition: Paths and Antiracist and Antisexist Reflections
Date: May 20 to June 29, 2025
Time: Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 AM to 6 PM | Sunday and Holidays from 10 AM to 2 PM
Location: Entrance Hall Amphitheater Coliseu das Artes – Espaço São José Liberto.
