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Summary
History – Internationally recognized as one of the most important scientific expeditions of the 19th century, the journey led by German baron Georg Heinrich von Langsdorff to Brazilian inland, from 1822 to 1829, was marked by tragic events and involved in mystery for a long time. The initial ambitious itinerary was not accomplished because Langsdorff contracted malaria and went mad. As he came to Brazil as General Consul of Russia, whose government had financed the expedition, everything he had collected was sent to the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg and kept in containers until 1930. There were hundreds of those boxes containing diaries, notes, drawings, watercolor paintings, maps, specimens of minerals, plants and animals, besides ethnographic materials and letters.
Oceanography – Having a 8,000-kilometer extent of coast, one of the largest of the world, Brazil is going to launch a research work to disclose the resources of its immense coastal waters. And the country has to make up for lost time, for even in comparison with other developing countries it is behindhand in this area.
Telecommunications – With the telephone system privatization program in Brazil, the government, lacking funds, has transferred the task of connecting the country by means of the telephony to the private national and international companies, which are already in the market exploiting the unfailing telecom business. The impact of the changes has been brutal. In only five years’ time the investments of more than R$ 100 billion have doubled the number of fixed-line apparatus and increased almost 20 times the total of mobile phones. And the estimates of the growth are optimistic for the coming years.
Solidarity – In the struggle against unemployment and economic difficulties people are joining groups seeking collective solutions to problems. Herewith it is growing the number of cooperatives and self-management companies, the pillars of the so-called solidarity economy, and there has been also a gradual increase all over the country.
Education – The Ministry of Education has been concerned about the periodic evaluation of education on all levels, but this process has been creating polemics. Experts don’t agree with each other about the criterion adopted, and some of them consider this initiative useless, as it does not solve the problems.
Memory – Inland in the State of Bahia is the Chapada Diamantina, the location of two black communities of remaining quilombos (hiding places of runaway slaves) fighting for surviving and keeping their ancestors’ tradition. Descendants of runaway slaves the inhabitants face out many difficulties and don’t get any support from the government.
Arts – In a State-owned institution for minor delinquents a dance teacher tries to show that it is possible, through ballet classes, to help them to face life.
Judicial reform – What is wrong with the Brazilian judicial system? What is wrong with the ways of reforming it? This is the subject matter analyzed and debated by a group of lawyers at Federacao do Comercio do Estado de Sao Paulo.
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