COP30 Volunteers Strengthen the Reception of the People of Pará to Event Participants
About 1,300 volunteers were certified to work at the Conference in Belém
Student Samira Trindade, 22 years old, who already works in the events sector and is part of Greenpeace, is among the 1,300 volunteers qualified to assist in the organization and reception of participants at the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30) in Belém. The international event started this Monday (10) and will end on November 21.
“When the opportunity arose to be part of this historic moment, I was very happy. It is a unique experience. Since I was young, I have always been interested in environmental issues, and here I am combining what I already work with what I believe. We participated in selections, training, and received support to learn how to behave as volunteers at an event like this. Although I have worked at national events before, I have never seen a structure like this in Belém, and it has been very interesting to experience all of this,” emphasizes Samira Trindade.
The head of the State Secretariat for Science, Technology, and Higher, Professional, and Technological Education (Sectet), Victor Dias, assures that the volunteers represent the collaborative and welcoming spirit of the people of Pará. “Each of them contributes directly to ensuring that COP30 takes place in an organized and humane manner, showing the world Pará's ability to combine professionalism and sensitivity in an event of global importance,” he says.
The volunteers initially participated in online and in-person courses, with a total workload of 120 hours, covering topics such as sustainability, hospitality, cultural diversity, communication, ethics, and public service. They then went through a document analysis stage conducted by security agencies and advanced to the final training.
During this phase, they attended lectures and workshops on transportation, security, health, protocol, sustainability, and accessibility, which combined theory and practice in real situations of reception, guidance, and logistical support. At the end of the training, participants were assigned to different areas of operation within COP30, according to the profile and skills of each volunteer.
The COP30 Volunteer Program is the result of a joint action between state and federal governments, through Sectet and the Extraordinary Secretariat for COP30 (Secop).
Civil engineer Oswaldo Neto, 25 years old, decided to apply to be a volunteer at the event due to his interest in climate issues and the desire to be at the center of discussions on the topic worldwide. “Having the opportunity to be where world leaders and delegations discuss the environment and our future is very rewarding. We practice English while assisting people from various nationalities, and it is a challenge every day. A fantastic and innovative experience for all volunteers,” he shares. The volunteers are distributed in areas with high foot traffic and demand for information, such as Blue and Green zones, hotel areas, tourist spots, accommodation ships, and urban mobility corridors. The certification of volunteers is part of the set of actions by the Government of Pará aimed at COP30, focusing on professional qualification, accessibility, hospitality, and social legacy for Belém and the Metropolitan Region. The program also reinforces the role of Pará's youth in building a global event with an Amazonian, inclusive, and participatory identity.
