Seirdh swears in the State Council for Policies for Quilombola Communities
For the first time, the State establishes a Council focused exclusively on quilombola policies, strengthening representation and dialogue with the communities
Historically, the government of Pará, through the Secretary of Racial Equality and Human Rights (Seirdh), inaugurated, this Thursday (16), the members of the first State Council for Policies for Quilombola Communities, created by Decree No. 4,372, of December 6, 2024. The council is an achievement in the construction of public policies aimed at promoting racial equality and valuing the quilombola communities of the State.
A total of 40 councilors were sworn in, including ten regular and ten alternate members representing civil society, as well as ten regular and ten alternate members from the public power. The Council will be responsible for proposing, monitoring, and overseeing public policies aimed at the quilombola communities of Pará. The term of office for councilors will be two years, as provided in the regulations.
For the head of Seirdh, Edilza Fontes, the creation of the Council represents a democratic advance and a genuine commitment to popular participation. “This Council is the first in the State, and this is very important because it is the moment when the communities themselves can say what they want, what they need, and what they expect from the State. This opens a space for dialogue that has never existed before,” she emphasized.
Importance – The unprecedented creation of the State Council for Policies for Quilombola Communities is essential for the guarantee of rights. The manager of the Promotion of Quilombola Rights at Seirdh, Valdinei Gomes, reinforced that the council symbolizes the strengthening of quilombola representation in the State.
“This Council will be a space for dialogue, participation, and the construction of proposals that meet the demands and needs of the quilombola communities. It is a historic milestone and a fundamental step for the inclusion and strengthening of quilombola peoples in the State's governmental policies,” he emphasized.
Elected as an alternate councilor, the quilombola Alex Maciel, from the Rio Alto Itacuruçá territory in Abaetetuba, highlighted that the Council is essential for discussing public policies that truly fit the lifestyle of the communities. “The Council will add to our struggles and our aspirations within the territories. We know that there are various challenges in the communities, one of them is ensuring that public policies reach the territories, especially those that contemplate our way of life, our culture, and our tradition,” he stated.
The inauguration of the councilors reinforces the commitment of the government of Pará to promote social participation and ensure that quilombola policies are built with dialogue, recognition, and transparency.
By Rebeca Costa/ Ascom Seirdh
