Brazil 200: A major event presented by BNCC

From October 31st to November 2nd took place at Sentralen, in Oslo, the major event presented by BCC, Brazil 200. This special and free-entry event aimed to celebrate two centuries of Brazilian Independence and 180 years of relations with Norway and was a success. We’ve put together a handful of our highlights from Brazil200.

A remarkable official opening

The official opening night covered some incredible storylines connecting Brazil and Norway. We discussed business, fashion, art, music, and dance with hostess Larissa Slottet (Former BNCC director and Sustainability Specialist).

Credit: Magnus Gulliksen

Brazil’s Ambassador to Norway, Enio Cordeiro, and BNCC’s Chairman, Aage Thoen, officially opened the night with a welcoming speech endorsing the relations between these two countries. Christina Neumann (Communications Advisor at Seafood Council) walked us through a brief history of the codfish adventure. Oskar Metsavaht (President of Instituto-E, Founder and Creative Director of Osklen, a leading sustainable fashion brand from Brazil, and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for the Culture of Peace and Sustainability and the Ocean Decade) introduced Osklen and Instituto-e, sharing their incredible work for a sustainable future in fashion. The Art historian, curator, and independent researcher Amélia Siegel Corrêa guided us through the highlights of the story behind the Norwegian-Brazilian painter Alfredo Andersen.

Credit: Magnus Gulliksen

Our attendees were also entertained by authentic Brazilian dance, going through the history of Capoeira, Maracatu, and Frevo. And closing the night, Marit Sandvik and her band, Nova Onda, showed us how Brazilian bossa nova and samba’s incredible heritage reached Tromsø in a beautiful concert.

Inspiring talks and panels

In the following days, experts shared their reflections and experiences on different topics such as sustainability, fashion, business, art, corporate social responsibility, and mental health.

Opening the second day, a panel with Oskar Metsavaht and Nina Jensen (CEO of REV Ocean) discussed the Bridge between Innovation and Sustainability: From conscious production to conscious consumption. On one side, Oskar is reinventing the fashion industry and has found innovative ways to an ethical and sustainable fashion as the founder of Osklen. On the other side, Nina, a marine biologist, is leading this ambitious project, REV Ocean, aiming to improve understanding and search for more sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions for the world’s oceans. They are two references on sustainability, and through this panel, they reflected on science, innovation, and research focused on providing a better planet.

A discussion on Building desirable futures in Brazil: The Indispensable work of international NGOs was the subject in the panel with Iris Frøybu (General Manager Dream Learn Work in Norway), Peter Munck (Managing Director Children At Risk Foundation), and Michael Klem (Board Member Karanba Football Project). They presented the result of their tireless social work to raise awareness of the important work of social projects in Brazil and the ever-growing need for engagement industries.

A panel of leading energy and tech companies discussed the topic From Ambition to Execution: The challenges of a Sustainability Transformation. Tor-Ove Horstad (Commercial Director at Hydro), Tommy Bjørnsen (Digital Director and Country Chair Norway for DNV), Gustavo Diaz (CEO for UMOE Brazil ), and Kristin Hansen (International Director at NHO) discussed realistic, financial and scientific measures to adapt to the green shift.

In addition, Dr. Cesar Cunha Campos (Director of FGV Europe – Economic/Political think tank for Brazil to the world) shared with the attendees some thoughts and reflections on the Brazilian scenario after the elections. 

Closing the second day, the lecturer by Amélia Siegel Corrêa, walked us through the History of the Brazilian-Norwegian painter Alfredo Andersen, delving into his portraits and landscapes.

Credit: Mariano Garcia

On the third day, we gave the stage to discuss mental health in a panel with Celma Hellebust (Brazilian Lawyer Hellebust International Consulting AS.) and Ana Lucia Gonçalves (Brazilian psychologist who graduated from PUC Riberão Preto). They introduced the network “Brazilian Psychologists Online” a project that offers emergency assistance with psychologists and therapy online for Brazilians living abroad to assist in integration and strengthen resilience. Also, they presented two new projects focused on providing support to fight against domestic violence and address climate change issues.

Art, exhibitions, and dance

Credit: Mariano Garcia

Brazil 200 also presented cultural activities. On the second day, participants attended an artistic immersion about the Amazon presented by Osklen and Instituto-E (read more here) and enjoyed an amazing percussion and dance performance from The Diadema Trio – one of the Grupo Cultural Beija-Flor projects from Brazil – presented by Children At Risk Foundation. In addition, during the 3 days, attendees could visit an exclusive Art Exhibition of the Norwegian painter Alfredo Andersen, with physical artwork and a digital exhibition with more than 200 paintings (read more here).

Credit: Magnus Gulliksen and Mariano Garcia

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