Organized by the Ministry of Education (MEC) through the Secretariat for Continuing Education, Literacy, Diversity, and Inclusion (Secretaria de Educação Continuada, Alfabetização de Jovens e Adultos, Diversidade e Inclusão – SECADI), in cooperation with UNESCO, the event occurred at Rio Branco Institute in Brasília. It brought together key international stakeholders to discuss and celebrate the contributions of African-descent populations in Brazil.
The seminar highlighted the National Policy on Education for Ethnic-Racial Relations and Quilombola School Education (Política Nacional de Equidade, Educação para as Relações Étnico-Raciais e Educação Escolar Quilombola – PNEERQ), recently established by Ordinance 470/2024, aimed at overcoming ethnic-racial inequalities in education and promoting educational policies for the quilombola population in Brazil. The event featured the screening of the documentary Quilombolas de Mesquita, the Brazilians Who Began the Construction of the Capital of Brazil and the launch MEC books in cooperation with UNESCO: Brasil-África histórias cruzadas: anos iniciais do ensino fundamental; livro da professora e do professor and Brasil-África histórias cruzadas: anos finais do ensino fundamental; livro da professora e do professor, with had contributions from professors Nilma Lino Gomes and Valter Silvério.
"It is essential to ensure the integration of interculturality and community knowledge into quilombola schools and other educational institutions. We must guarantee that everyone, including schools in Brasília, learns that quilombolas played a crucial role in the city's construction. There is an erasure of stories and an incomplete narrative. Therefore, it is vital to experience and promote intercultural education inside and outside schools," said Mariana Braga, Programme Officer in Education at UNESCO in Brazil.
Through the Routes of Enslaved Peoples Programme, UNESCO aims to eradicate all forms of violence against the Black population worldwide, which violates the fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Visit to Quilombo Mesquita
The second day of the seminar was dedicated to a technical visit to Quilombo Mesquita, located 50 km from Brasília at Cidade Ocidental, Goiás state (Brazil). With 278 years of history, the quilombo* played a significant role in the founding of Brasília.
The visit began with a welcoming session featuring speeches from Quilombo Mesquita representatives and statements by representatives from MEC, UNESCO, the Palmares Foundation, the South African Embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and students from the Rio Branco Institute.
Participants then visited the Alípio Pereira Braga Municipal School, located in Quilombo Mesquita, which provides education for 1st- to 5th-grade students. The visit continued with opportunities to engage with residents, such as Dona Joana, 99, who shared her experiences, including having 11 children, nine of whom she delivered herself. "I make my medicines, blessings, healings... but not me, God," she said.
Participants also explored local products, including quince sweets, a significant source of income for the 785 quilombola families. These families have been hosting the traditional "Marmelo Festival" every January for over 100 years, attracting around 5,000 and 6,000 visitors annually. Additionally, visitors explored fields of saffron, hibiscus, quince, papaya, mango, jabuticaba, and cassava cultivated by the community.
"This seminar places Brasília on the Slave Routes map, highlighting the presence of Black people in the region before the capital's construction and their contributions to the city's development. Quilombo Mesquita community serves as a living memory of the origins and destinations of enslaved Africans. Situated within Goiás and Minas Gerais states, this community resists by redefining the city's history," said Cleber Santos, an advisor at SECADI/MEC.
He emphasized that quilombola children often find themselves distant from their community's history and identity, leading to cultural displacement. The technical visit is crucial for drawing the attention of government entities, fostering strategies, and implementing guidelines for quilombola school education.
Quilombo Mesquita is a symbol of resilience and cultural preservation. The visit served as a reminder of the lasting impact of the African diaspora and the importance of education in preserving identity and promoting social justice. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of UNESCO's programme reaffirms the commitment to valuing quilombola communities and promoting an anti-racist education.
* Quilombo is the name of a hidden place in Brazil where populations of black slaves who had escaped from slavery found refuge. Today, the quilombo is composed of populations of African descent with divisions and internal organization.
Routes of Enslaved Peoples Programme
Since its launch in 1994, UNESCO's "Routes of Enslaved Peoples: Resistance, Liberty and Heritage" programme has contributed to the production of knowledge, the development of high-level scientific networks and the support for memory initiatives on slavery, its abolition, and the resistance that followed.
Internationally, this programme plays a significant role in breaking the silence surrounding the history of slavery and embedding this tragedy in the universal memory that has shaped the modern world.
"Routes of Enslaved Peoples: Resistance, Liberty and Heritage" Programme
PNEERQ
The National Policy on Equity, Education for Ethnic-Racial Relations, and Quilombola School Education (PNEERQ), established by Ordinance 470/2024, aims to implement educational actions and programmes to overcome ethnic-racial inequalities and racism in educational settings, as well as to promote educational policies for the quilombola population. The target audience includes managers, teachers, staff, students, and the entire school community.
New publications
