More than one thousand people participated in the event, which included traveling events and workshops
The second edition of Summer Connection came to an end on Sunday February 4, with an exciting party on the Gomes Freire Square, in Mariana (MG). The event attracted 1820 people in all its stops. It has proven to be an important space for fun and educating children and youth, and to be an instrument for the integration of the communities affected by the Fundao dam collapse. The cultural and recreational activities in Mariana and Barra Longa lasted 2 weeks.
“Summer Connection was conceived as a recreational space for the students of the schools of Bento Rodrigues, Paracatu de Baixo and Barra Longa, but today it attracts entire families of the two municipalities, with a diversified program for children, youth and adults. Music, games, dance and performances of local artists connected the participants,” explains Kivia Cruz, from the Education and Culture front of the Renova Foundation.
Between January 27 and February 4, the Summer Connection Caravan visited the districts of Santo Antonio, Cabanas, Colina, and the Gomes Freire Square, in Mariana, and the Manoel Lino Mol Square, in Barra Longa. The whole community can have fun with performances of Cria Percussion, Charangas and bands of the two towns. The fun and interaction among the residents was the highlight of the festivities. “The population really appreciates an initiative like this. We deserve to have some fun and we need events like this,” rejoiced Celina Gontijo, resident of Mariana.
For Marcelo Alegria, responsible for Cria Percussion, the Caravan stimulates the population to make use of public spaces. “When events like this take place here, we can recover places that are normally empty or deserted. It is very important for our town to see families and children use our squares,” he says happily.
The workshops were held from January 22 to 26 for young people aged 12 to 23 and between January 29 and February 2 for children aged 4 to 11. Twenty-nine youngsters participated in music, dance, DJ and event production classes. They were also able to put into practice all the learning from the previous week, participating in the production team of the event and performing and giving workshops during the Caravans.
In the second week, the children participated in workshops making music and creating toys, movie sessions and musical performances. In total, 85 children from the communities of Bento Rodrigues, Paracatu de Baixo and Mariana participated in the activities.
The emeritus professor at the Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP) and president of the Mariana Cultural Center, Hebe Rola, stresses the importance of educating young people and children in a playful way and beyond the classrooms. “‘It is very important that children and teenagers have these moments. We have to educate children in a festive, fun way. Not closing them in between four walls to work on one concept after another that will not be experienced. They will take this concept of constructing culture with them into adulthood,” she said.
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