Cape Verdean students visit Youth of Expression Program in Brazil

Visitants and participants of the program pose for a picture in the Citizen's Square, in Ceilândia

Brasilia, 1 st October 2013 - Eight students from Cape Verde participated in the Youth of Expression Program activities last week as part of a cultural exchange. The 14 to 16 year old students participated in dance, photography and graffiti workshops, among others, in the cities of Sobradinho II and Ceilândia, in Brazil's Federal District. The agents of expression, young people who develop the projects of Youth of Expression, conducted some of the workshops and presented the program activities to the visitors.

One of the activities carried out last Friday was a conversation in the format of Youth Talk, a space for speaking and listening in which the young people who take part in the Youth of Expression Program can express themselves openly, without judgment, and with the support of the group. One of the students from Cape Verde, Cíntia Ramos, approves this kind of dialogue. "It's more comfortable talking to people our age about the problems that we share. With teachers there is an issue of respect, a larger distance," she said.

One of the agents of expression that participated in the activities, Vinicius Rodrigues, believes the exchange brings contributions to all: "They are learning something different. They already work with educommunication [pedagogical methodology that proposes the use of technological tools and communication techniques in learning] and with the same themes that we work here, but we use multiple languages, including body language through dancing". He also said that he felt especially motivated by the commitment shown by the Cape Verdeans.

Intercâmbio Brasil-Cabo Verde
Dance workshop of the Youth of Expression Program participants

Davilson Évora, one of three teachers from Cape Verde who accompanied the students, added: "It is clear that the problems of Brazil and Cape Verde are similar. We are here deepening methodologies that we have used to discuss AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), prejudice, alcohol and other drugs, but now we intend to adopt new ways of addressing these contents".

The students are part of the Space for Information and Orientation project, which provides a physical space where they discuss issues related to their age, such as vocational orientation, sexuality, drugs and alcohol. Today they participated in a workshop on STDs and AIDS prevention, together with the Young People Living with HIV/AIDS Network. The group returns tomorrow to Cape Verde, after drawing up a work plan for future actions based on their experiences in Brazil.

Aimed at reducing the vulnerability of young people to violence, AIDS and STDs, as well as supporting entrepreneurship, the Youth of Expression Program is carried out by Caixa Seguros Group, in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO in Brazil) and the Central Única das Favelas (Cufa/DF).

*With information from Agência Brasil

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