Brazil’s Minister of Culture today defended stronger cooperation with Cape Verde in the fields of the creative economy and audiovisual industries, proposing partnerships between cities such as Salvador and Mindelo to develop carnival events and boost local economies.
“The proposal is to start creating dialogues between cities like Salvador and São Vicente, for example, to strengthen street carnival in particular. It is important for generating the local economy. When you hold a party or a festival, you are activating a market — this is the creative economy that circulates money in the city,” said Margareth Menezes during a visit to the island of São Vicente.
The minister, who is on a three-day visit to the archipelago, framed the initiative as part of broader cultural cooperation and investment in the creative economy.
She said Brazil is increasingly investing in this sector, including audiovisual production and training, noting that this aligns with the Brazilian president’s priority of strengthening ties with Africa, particularly Portuguese-speaking countries.
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Menezes also highlighted the cultural potential of São Vicente, stressing the importance of expanding artistic and institutional exchanges between the two countries after visiting several cultural facilities, including the Cesária Évora Museum.
Her program includes meetings in the capital, Praia, where both delegations are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding and hold a joint press conference with Cape Verde’s Minister of Culture and Creative Industries, Augusto Veiga.
She is also scheduled to be received by Prime Minister José Ulisses Correia e Silva and President José Maria Neves.
The visit will include stops in Cidade Velha, in the municipality of Ribeira Grande de Santiago, where she will tour the Fortaleza Real de São Filipe and other historical sites classified as UNESCO World Heritage.
