The revitalization of the Museum of Modern Art (MAM), in the center of Rio de Janeiro, was delivered this Wednesday (30) by the city of Rio de Janeiro. The space had been undergoing interventions with the aim of making it ready to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit, which will take place on the 18th and 19th of November. The renovated facilities were presented by Mayor Eduardo Paes to First Lady Janja Lula da Silva and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira. A symbolic key was also given to the minister.
Paes believes that the revitalization of MAM will be a legacy of the G20. “It is the recovery of an icon of Brazilian architecture, of an important cultural equipment. We also restored the surrounding area, the landscaping designed by master Burle Marx”, he stated.
Rio de Janeiro (RJ), 10/30/2024 – Paes highlights that it is the revitalization of an icon of Brazilian architecture- Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
Opened in 1958, MAM is located on the Flamengo landfill, close to Santos Dumont airport. According to the city hall, a total of R$32 million was invested in renovations to the museum’s internal area, structural works and urban and environmental revitalization of the surrounding area, including the installation of new lighting, the creation of a public walkway and the enhancement of the gardens. . After the G20, the space will again be available for public visitation. The full reopening is scheduled for January 2025, with a new free program that will cover exhibitions, educational activities, workshops and events in the external area.
According to Paes, the works lasted approximately six months, but the entire process, considering the planning and project discussions, took around a year. “We had already been working to recover this space, which is an icon of our city, and make it ready to host this important meeting of global geopolitics,” he said.
Rio de Janeiro (RJ), 10/30/2024 – Mayor Eduardo Paes delivers the work to revitalize the Museum of Modern Art, which will host the G20 Summit – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
The mayor also defended that, next year, Rio de Janeiro will host the Brics meeting, made up of emerging countries focused on sustainable socioeconomic development. Brazil will assume the rotating presidency of the group in 2025. “I have already told Minister Mauro that we will also welcome the Brics meeting with great honor and pleasure. I know that this is not a decision made yet, but the offer is here. We understand that Rio has a role to play and is very proud to show the beauty of our country to the world.”
Minister Mauro Vieira celebrated the G20 Leaders’ Summit at MAM. “The G20 is a global articulation platform of great importance. It is responsible for taking major geopolitical decisions. I think having this meeting in Rio de Janeiro, which is a postcard for Brazil, is very important. And this effort to recover This building, which is an icon of the city and Brazilian culture, has everything to do precisely with what the G20 represents in Brazil”, he assessed.
Rio de Janeiro (RJ), 10/30/2024 – Mauro Vieira participates in the handover ceremony of the revitalized MAM alongside mayor Eduardo Paes – Tânia Rêgo/Agência Brasil
Heads of state
Mauro Vieira commented on the presence of heads of state at the G20 Leaders’ Summit. Two weeks ago, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he will not be present.
“The confirmations are still happening. There are 21 members of the G20, plus the invited countries. The vast majority have already confirmed and we are waiting for everyone’s response to be able to say who is coming and who is not. But the important thing is the participation of the States. And if one of the heads of state doesn’t come, he will certainly be represented at a high level”, said Vieira.
According to the minister, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva invited Pope Francis to the official launch of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Povertywhich will take place during the Summit. The religious leader, however, will not be present and will be represented by Pietro Parolin, Cardinal Secretary General of the Vatican, a position informally referred to as “Prime Minister”. He is number 2 in the hierarchy of the State that hosts the Catholic Church.
“The Pope will not be able to make this trip at this time, but he has appointed a very prominent person in the structure of the Vatican. He is the Prime Minister of the Vatican, who is the Cardinal Secretary General of State, Pietro Parolin. He will bring the Pope’s word Francisco for the launch of the Global Alliance. It is an initiative that seeks to combat inequality in the world, a struggle common to Brazil and Pope Francis”, reported Vieira.
Priorities
The world’s 19 largest economies, as well as the European Union and more recently the African Union, have seats in the G20. The group has established itself as a global forum for dialogue and coordination on economic, social, development and international cooperation issues. In December last year, Brazil succeeded India as president.
It is the first time that the country has assumed this position in the current format of the G20, established in 2008. At the end of the year, the presidency will be transferred to South Africa. Mauro Vieira highlighted Brazilian priorities for its mandate in the G20: the launch of Global Alliance against Hunger and Povertythe mobilization for the energy transition and against climate change and the call for global governance reform.
“It is necessary to change the structures of the institutions that were created after the Second World War, which no longer reflect the reality of today’s world. When the UN [Organização das Nações Unidas] was created, it had 51 member countries. Today there are 193. Likewise, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund [FMI] and more recently the World Trade Organization [OMS] They are all important organizations for global multilateralism and above all for defending the interests of developing countries. But they are outdated and out of touch with current reality. The participation of countries from the Global South does not have the same weight as other countries”, analyzed Vieira.
*Article expanded at 8:40 pm to add information
