
Seminar and photo exhibit highlight the journey of Venezuelan refugees and migrants towards social integration in Brazil
Two events in Brasilia on September 28 and 29 mark the end of the first phase of the project “Welcomed Through Work”
September 27, 2021
Two events in Brasilia on September 28 and 29 mark the end of the first phase of the project “Welcomed Through Work”
AVSI Brasil will host two events in Brasilia to share reflections on the migration experience of Venezuelan refugees and migrants, from crossing the border in Pacaraima (RR) to achieving autonomy in Brazil, thanks to integration activities implemented by the project
“Welcomed Through Work”, funded by the US State Department Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM).
On September 28, a seminar entitled The Journey of Venezuelan Refugees and Migrants Towards Autonomy in Brazil will bring together organizations that work with refugees and migrants, like the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and Operation Welcome. Bertha Maakaroun, political scientist and technical director of Pólis Pesquisa, will present her analysis of the project’s impact on Venezuelan integration in Brazil in its first two years.
On the evening of September 29, AVSI Brasil will open the exhibit Welcomed: A Journey from Venezuela to Integration in Brazil, with photographs taken by award-winning photographer Antonello Veneri, hosted by the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center (CCBB). The event will be by invitation only. The exhibition will be open to the public starting September 30. Welcomed illustrates the path taken by hundreds of Venezuelan families who arrived in Brazil in search of shelter and new opportunities.
Throughout the exhibition, visitors will contemplate photographs and portraits and read testimonies from refugees and migrants. In addition, audiovisual resources provide a profound reflection on the theme of migration in Brazil. The exhibition also has an educational room, where activities for children will be held. In the same space, the visitor can watch videos with testimonials from the photographer. Veneri talks about his work behind the lenses. The video also showcases testimonies by AVSI Brasil collaborators, who speak about the humanitarian work carried out in the reception centers in Roraima.
Since 2019, the project has facilitated the integration of 1,084 Venezuelans from Roraima into nine Brazilian states, including the Federal District. Partner companies hired a total of 519 refugees and migrants. Each person hired could give their family a new beginning in the host city. They had social support and housing for the first three months after being hired. The project also works with the local community, offering professional training and insertion into the labor market for vulnerable Brazilians.
The project “Welcomed Through Work” is coordinated together with AVSI Foundation and AVSI-USA and is funded by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). It aims to strengthen the actions of Operation Welcome, a task force led by the Federal Government of Brazil, in response to the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. The initiative has the institutional support of the Civil House of the Presidency of the Republic, UNHCR, and civil society entities that work on refuge and migration.
Seminar: the journey of Venezuelan refugees and migrants towards autonomy in Brazil
Date: September 28 (Tuesday)
Hours: from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm (GMT-3)
Broadcast: live on @avsibrasil YouTube channel
To participate, you must register using the link https://bit.ly/3yOPEaI
Exhibition Welcomed: A Journey from Venezuela to Integration in Brazil
Location: Banco do Brasil Cultural Center – CCBB Brasília (SCES Section 2 – central span of Tower 4, ground floor)
Period: September 30 to October 31, 2021
Opening Hours: 9 am to 9 pm (GMT-3) – Tuesday to Sunday
Admission: Free (Kid-friendly)
E-mail: ccbbdf@bb.com.br and/or welcomed@avsi.org.br