We start the week talking about an extremely important topic. On January 21st, the National Day to Combat Religious Intolerance. This type of crime has seen an increase in cases in the country, as shown this report from Agência Brasil. In 2023 alone there were 2,124 occurrences, according to the Ministry of Human Rights and Citizenship. An increase of 80% compared to the previous year. The biggest victims are religions of African origin, as shown this other report from 2015 and also this one, published in 2024. The persistence of the problem and the urgent need to combat it was portrayed in a special on the Sem Censura program, on TV Brasil, broadcast in four parts in 2017, which can be accessed at the links below:
Uncensored religious intolerance – part 1
Uncensored religious intolerance – part 2
Uncensored religious intolerance – part 3
Uncensored religious intolerance – part 4
On January 20th, the National Traditional Midwife Day. Although it is the only alternative in several municipalities, normal and home births assisted by midwives are still surrounded by myths and misinformation. But several studies prove that the support of these women for pregnant women significantly reduces the rate of cesarean sections, which in the public health network reaches 55% and in the private sector 80%. The work of midwives was highlighted in Agência Brasil, in this 2020 reportand also in this other one, from 2024. Already the National Afternoon, from Rádio Nacionalgave visibility to the midwives’ profession when it was elevated to the category of cultural heritage of Brazil, by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (Iphan).
January 20th is also the World Cheese Daya food that has a lot of tradition here, especially in Minas Gerais. So much so that, recently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) recognized the ways of making Minas Artesanal Cheese as Intangible Heritage of Humanity, as shown in this report from Agência Brasil, December 2024. Brazilian cheeses are so good that they have won several international awards and are among the best in the world. This 2023 report from Agência Brasil highlights the 81 medals (17 gold) that our products won at the Tours World Cheese and Dairy Products Championship, held in France and which is considered the biggest award of this type. Our achievement was also shown in this report from Repórter Brasil, from TV Brasil.
THE Social Security Daycelebrated on January 24, is a tribute to the publication of the Eloy Chaves Law, on January 24, 1923, which established the basis of the Brazilian social security system, through the creation of the Retirement and Pension Fund for employees of railway companies. In 1921, deputy Eloy Chaves, on a trip to Monte Serrat with the aim of inspecting a power plant, witnessed a conversation that surprised him. On the train journey, the parliamentarian would have heard two railway workers lamenting about the working conditions. Sensitized by the situation, the parliamentarian formulated the bill that would change history two years later. The centenary of Social Security was highlighted in this report by TV Brasil, from 2022. And the evolution of social security rights was shown in this special from Agência Brasil, from 2023.
This month we also celebrate one of the most representative genres of Brazilian music, recognized and admired worldwide. Bossa Nova Day is on January 25th, and TV Brasil paid tribute to the masters who helped create the style in the 50s, such as in this 2013 edition of Repórter Brasilwhich pays homage to Tom Jobim, and this other one, from 2017which highlights João Gilberto. The anniversary was also celebrated in the program Art Space, from Rádio Nacionalin this year 2024.
Birthdays of the week
Congratulations to them! Let’s now start our list of illustrious people born this week, starting with the cartoonist, art director, writer, theater author, illustrator, publicist, director, screenwriter and sports commentator (phew!) Miguel Paiva, who turns 75 on January 19th. This multi-talented Brazilian was invited on three occasions to have a relaxed chat with presenter Sérgio Du Bocage on TV Brasil’s Mundo da Bola program. In this edition and also in this other one herehe talks about his best-known characters: Radical Chic and Middle-aged Hunk. In this other edition hereMiguel talks about the play he wrote about Heleno de Feitas, the Botafogo player.
This week’s other birthday boy is Gaucho Yamandu Costa, considered one of the greatest guitarists and composers in Brazil and the world. He turns 45 on January 24th. Yamandu was born into a family of musicians, and at the age of four he was already a child prodigy, when he participated in radio programs and even recorded an album in Porto Alegre. At the age of 15 he was part of the group Os Fronteiriços, made up of his father, uncles and cousins. Plays six, seven and eight string guitar. The musician showed some of his talent in this edition of the program Between Friends, 2018and was also the guest of All Bossas, in 2017both shown on TV Brasil.
Who left this week
90 years ago, on January 22, 1935, the São Paulo composer and instrumentalist José Gomes de Abreu, known as Zequinha de Abreu, passed away. He was one of the musicians who most contributed to the consolidation of choro, with more than 100 compositions in this musical genre. The most famous of them is the song “Tico-Tico no Fubá”, which was widely publicized by Carmem Miranda in the 1940s. Her legacy for Brazilian music was highlighted in this edition of the program Roda de Choro, 2020and in this Rádio Memória, from 2023both from Rádio Nacional.
Many people who watch that famous reality show on Rede Globo do not know that the name “Big Brother” originates from the most famous work by George Orwell, a British essayist, politician and journalist who died 75 years ago, on January 21, 1950. The book 1984 It is a dystopia that presents a totalitarian regime, where everyone is monitored 24 hours a day. He is also the author of the acclaimed work The animal revolutionwhere he uses a fable to criticize the communist regime of the former Soviet Union during the Second World War. This book, in particular, was analyzed in this 2014 edition of the program Changing things, from Rádio Nacional.
Taking advantage of the fact that we mentioned the Second World War, we remember here Winston Churchill, former British Prime Minister. One of the most important characters of the 20th century, he was a key player in the resistance to the Nazis during the conflict. Churchill approached the United States and, through financing, managed to strengthen the English armed forces to combat the axis formed by Germany, Italy and Japan. He died on January 24, 1965, at the age of 90. Agência Brasil highlighted the 50th anniversary of Winston Churchill’s death in this 2015 reportas well as TV Brasil, in this edition of Repórter Brasil.
Check out the list of Today is Day dates from January 19th to 25th, 2025:
January 2025
19
Birth of cartoonist, art director, writer, theater author, illustrator, publicist, director, screenwriter and commentator from Rio de Janeiro Miguel Paiva (75 years old)
Hairdresser’s Day
20
Institution of the National Anthem composed by Francisco Manuel da Silva (135 years old)
Opening of Guarulhos International Airport (40 years) – largest airport in Brazil and South America
National Traditional Midwife Day
World Cheese Day
21
Birth of the Brazilian singer and instrumentalist from Goiás Lindomar Cabral, Lindomar Castilho (85 years old) – best known for the song “Chamarada” and the bolero “Você É Doida Demais”
Birth of French designer Christian Dior (120 years)
Death of British writer, political essayist and journalist Eric Arthur Blair, aka George Orwell (75 years old) – author of classics such as “1984” and “Animal Farm”
National Day to Combat Religious Intolerance
Premiere of the Dalila na Quadra program, on Rádio Nacional AM RJ (14 years old)
22
Death of São Paulo musician, composer and instrumentalist José Gomes de Abreu, known as Zequinha de Abreu (90 years old) – one of the greatest composers of choros, is the author of the famous choro “Tico-Tico no Fubá”, which was widely publicized by Carmem Miranda, in the 1940s
Holding, in Rio de Janeiro, the first masquerade ball in Brazil (185 years) – the event took place at the Hotel d’Italia, in Largo do Rocio, currently Praça Tiradentes
Listing of the Casa de Portinari Museum, in Brodowski-SP, in 1970, by the Council for the Defense of Historical, Archaeological, Artistic and Tourist Heritage of the State of São Paulo, CONDEPHAAT (55 years)
Launch of the program “Blim Blem Blom”, on Rádio MEC (13 years old) – created and produced by Tim Rescala, with the intention of presenting classical music, its composers and elements to children
24
Birth of Pernambuco singer Paulo Diniz (85 years old)
Birth of Gaucho guitarist and composer Yamandu Costa (45 years old) – considered one of the greatest guitarists in Brazil and the world
Death of British politician Winston Churchill (60 years old) – was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Second World War
Institution of civil marriage in Brazil, through Decree No. 181, promulgated by Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, head of the Provisional Government of the then Republic of the United States of Brazil (135 years)
Revolt of the Malês, in Salvador (190 years) – considered the largest uprising of slaves in the History of Brazil
Social Security Day – the date is a tribute to the publication of the Eloy Chaves Law, on January 24, 1923, which established the basis of the Brazilian social security system, through the creation of the Retirement and Pension Fund for employees of railway companies
25
Death of American actress and singer from classic Hollywood cinema Ava Gardner (35 years old)
Postman’s Day – the date recalls the creation on January 25, 1663 of Correio-Mor in Brazil, whose first owner was Luiz Gomes da Matta Neto, who was already the Correio-Mor of the Kingdom, in Portugal
Bossa Nova Day
