Americas

The Olympics – A Cultural Way to Improvement

Brazil to develop its cultural and diplomatic relations through sports and art during 2016 Olympic Games

July 13th, 2016
Andreea Stretea, CD News
20160713_olympic.jpg

Brazil is a far more complex nation than we might imagine. It embraces huge cultural diversities within its borders, in addition to tackling striking social issues, such as poverty, crime and corruption. The Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be an opportunity for Brazil to establish its national identity and show the rest of the world how much the country has to offer.

Those who are born in a favela are faced with limited opportunities. They struggle for social progression while facing poverty, prejudice and suspicion. In such an environment, sport is one of the few ways out for most Brazilians. Sport and the arts have long been used as vehicles for personal and social transformation. Sport can build self-confidence, develop communication and inter-relational skills, and potentially offer an escape from poverty. The cultural input of the favelas is rarely acknowledged, despite the fact that many of the main samba schools and major national athletes come from Rio’s favelas.

This year Rio will become the first South American city to host the Summer Olympics. The Olympic Games are a global sporting event that brings together large numbers of athletes from all over the world. About 10,500 athletes and up to 500,000 foreigner visitors are expected for the games.

In such a multicultural environment, the games plan to significantly change the city. Several changes have been made so far, from urban transportation projects driven by the Olympics to the pacification of favelas by using community-based Police Pacification Unitis (UPPs) that will be used to build trust in individual communities through the use of street patrols and civic work.

Since the announcement that the 2016 Olympics would be held in Rio de Janeiro, the city’s crime problems have received more attention. These changes will increase the city’s attractiveness and will enhance Rio’s competitive position in the global economy and cultural realm.

Both Brazilian sports and the arts contribute to a distinct national identity. Now, due to the 2016 Olympic Games and using innovative social programs, these are being used collaboratively to tackle Brazil’s extreme social issues.

One of the best examples of how the Olympic Games can bring nations closer together and improve lives in the favelas is the sport partnership between Rio de Janeiro’s Mangueira favela and New Zealand’s Olympic athletes. The New Zealand team will help Rio de Janeiro’s favela residents train for the future.

Therefore, sports and arts seem to be the natural way for Brazilian culture to develop and the right way for Brazilians to make themselves known abroad as a diverse nation with a lot to offer and with a rich cultural potential. It is also a way for diplomatic relations and bonds between nations to form and prosper.

References

Cultural Diplomacy News