Topic: 2025-Safeguarding and Promoting Traditional Sports and Games
Country: Brazil
Delegate Name: Brendon Sutton
Brazil boasts a rich cultural diversity, featuring numerous conventional sports and games that hold deep social and cultural significance. One of the most important is Capoeira, a unique Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines dance, acrobatics, and music. Through various institutions such as the Ministry of Culture and local cultural bodies, The Brazilian government actively promotes and preserves these traditional games. UNESCO itself has become involved by inscribing Capoeira on its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014.
Brazil has shown a strong commitment to protecting and promoting its traditional sports and games. From the more popular sports like Capoeira to lesser-known games like Peteca, Brazil’s traditional sports serve as a vital link to the country’s cultural heritage. By bringing these sports into festivals, educational initiatives, and international platforms, Brazil ensures these important cultural practices aren’t lost to future generations. However, ongoing efforts are required to maintain and revitalize these traditions, especially as modernization and globalization continue to shape the cultural landscape.
The Federative Republic of Brazil joined UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) on June 19, 1964, and has since built 24 UNESCO buildings within its borders. With many famous historical sites, including “Christ the Redeemer” and “Brasilia,” it is clear that Brazil is committed to protecting and preserving its historical landmarks and traditional games. In addition to a Decree-Law from 1937 aimed at safeguarding national and artistic heritage, Brazil hosts the extremely popular Carnival event that celebrates its people’s heritage.
Brazil believes that other countries should make attempts to protect their heritage by passing laws to return items to their rightful countries for reasons such as colonialism or having been removed due to which and guarantee that heritage sites that may be destroyed are saved and preserved to teach the later generations and spread their culture through sports, dance, or other things of that nature.
