The new episode of *Conexão Bett* features João Alegria, secretary-general of the Roberto Marinho Foundation, and Bruna Camargos, one of the project leaders at the Roberto Marinho Foundation, to discuss the relaunch of the “A Cor da Cultura” program, an initiative to promote Black and Indigenous culture, featuring audiovisual and educational content broadcast on Canal Futura and used as study and discussion material by a network of partner institutions. 

On this occasion, the experts discuss the initiative that emerged in 2003 and was implemented in 2004, involving the production of audiovisual works and cultural and community-based initiatives aimed at promoting Afro-Brazilian histories in a positive light. 

“The time is now. Nearly 20 years later, ‘A Cor da Cultura’ has proven to be a relevant and necessary project for building a more ethical, racially equitable, inclusive, and sustainable society, because racism in Brazil continues to manifest itself in situations of exclusion and extermination of the Black and Indigenous populations,” says João Alegria.

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New Steps in 2023

The proposal to resume the project is to take it even further and expand it to highlight Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous heritage, incorporating all disciplines and fields of knowledge to bring to the forefront, for example, recent issues such as environmental racism, the discussion on the distinction between bullying and racism, and the issue of language itself, with the aim of connecting with and engaging young people in dialogue. 

“A Cor da Cultura has three key areas of focus: coordination, which involves Black and Indigenous movements; the production of educational materials; and practical implementation, through the training of educators and the participation of local social organizations,” says Bruna Camargos. “The project is about social reparations, a priority for the country, which needs to further promote ethnic and racial relations and confront the culture of hate and structural racism—issues that are not mere speculation, since there is a body of studies and evidence that substantiates such practices,” points out João Alegria.

The audiovisual and educational content on this topic is broadcast on Canal Futura and used as study and discussion material across a network of partner institutions. The project has already reached hundreds of thousands of people throughout Brazil, with the goal of promoting the inclusion of Afro-Brazilian culture and history, as well as the history of indigenous peoples, in the national K-12 education system.

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• Media Literacy: How to Combat Fake News in Schools—with Patricia Blanco
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Now reestablished, nearly 20 years later, “A Cor da Cultura” is proving to be even more relevant and necessary for advancing the implementation of Laws 10,639 and 11,645—enacted in 2003 and 2008, respectively—in which the government mandated that elementary and secondary schools, both public and private, must include the teaching of Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous history and culture in their curricula and in teacher training. The “A Cor da Cultura” project, run by the Roberto Marinho Foundation, aims to encourage compliance with the implementation of these laws.

Assorted Kit

“Cor da Cultura” is a project that offers a diverse kit, complete with a set of supporting materials, curated to align with educational frameworks related to Afro-Brazilian and Indigenous cultures. It consists of books, videos, music CDs, children’s stories, programs for children and families, and a dictionary of Afro-related terms. To this end, says Alegria, “the proposal involves a series of activities designed to be expanded upon, in which educators receive training to understand the importance of Black identity, Black people, and Indigenous peoples.” 

“Cor da Cultura” is a partnership between Petrobras, the Secretariat for Policies to Promote Racial Equality (SEPPIR), the Brazilian Center for Information and Documentation on Black Artists (CIDAN), the Ministry of Education (through SECADI), the Ministry of Culture (through the Palmares Cultural Foundation), the Roberto Marinho Foundation (via Canal Futura), and TV Globo.

In addition to YouTube, Conexão Bett is also available on major audio platforms, such as Spotify, Deezer, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and Google Podcasts, among others.

The talk show is yet another forum for dialogue at Bett Brasil, featuring various experts who offer a different perspective on the most relevant and current topics in the education sector. Turn on notifications on your favorite platform to be notified whenever a new episode is available.

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