MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Brazilian art and culture were incorporated to the Miami landscape with the Mayor Manny Diaz’s inauguration, on October 1, of the last part of the Biscayne Avenue project designed by the Brazilian artist Roberto Burle Marx.

Representatives of the local government, of Miami Dade College, of Rio de Janeiro’s Mayor, with the presence of the Consul General of Brazil in Miami, Ambassador Luiz Augusto de Araujo Castro and CCBU’s members, got together at the Freedom Tower to listen to a lecture by Lauro Cavalcanti, director of the Rio de Janeiro’s museum Paço Imperial, about Burle Marx’s life and work and to celebrate this historic date at the following reception. The inauguration of the sidewalk and its commemorative plaque by Miami’s Mayor Diaz, moved the participants who continued the celebration at a very Brazilian party, with the Bossacucanova’s group’s modern sound, at the American Airlines Arena’s east plaza.

In mid-October, Gloria Johnson, Maria Inês Dal Borgo, Gene de Souza and I, represented CCBU at the II Conference of the Brazilian Communities Abroad. The event organized by the Ministry of Foreign Relations, in Rio, reunited representatives of Brazilian communities all over the world. Parents belonging to the newly incorporated Portuguese International Parents Association (PIPA), and two Ada Merritt’s teachers also participated, with the common goal with CCBU of demanding the creation of an agreement between the Brazilian government and the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Our participation in this conference was extremely enriching due to the contacts we established and for what we learned about the government’s initiatives and other emigrants’ experiences. The new ideas will be implemented and become cultural and educational projects of interest to all our members.

Speaking of members, we prepared an interesting program for November. In this Miami Book Fair’s month, we are inviting our members and friends to a “Literary Luncheon” with the participation of the award winning Brazilian author, Ana Maria Gonçalves. She is the author of the fascinating historical novel “Um defeito de cor” (A defect of color), 2006, winner of the prestigious literary prize Casa de las Américas (2007). The luncheon will be on Thursday, November 12, at Por Fin Restaurant, in Coral Gables.

Another program that will interest our members and friends is the lecture and information session about admission in American universities and colleges, jointly organized by CCBU with the American Association of Portuguese Teachers. The lecture will be on November 18, at Sala Machado de Assis, at the Consulate General of Brazil.

Finally, I would like to invite our members for the concert honoring the great Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, organized by the extraordinary pianist Simone Leitão (who will also perform), with the Miami Symphony Orchestra and the participation of the soprano Edna D’Oliveira and the maestro Luiz Fernando Malheiro. CCBU members will receive an special ticket price discount.

I am looking forward to seeing you at the upcoming events

Cordial greetings.
Adriana Sabino

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