- The Brazilian group visited Galicia in 2004 with Ponte… nas Ondas!
- Promoted by singer-songwriter Chico César to help children with limited financial resources, the Instituto Béradêro uses the arts, especially music, for the civic education of young people
The creation of collaboration agreements with various Brazilian entities and institutions has been one of the objectives of Ponte…nas ondas! throughout its history. And in this trajectory, a relevant place is occupied by the establishment of contact with the Cultural Institute ‘Casa do Béradêro’, an initiative promoted by the Brazilian singer-songwriter Chico César to help children with few economic resources in the state of Paraíba in Brazil, and to give them a musical training that opens up new horizons.
Ponte…nas ondas! congratulates the ‘Instituto Béradêro’ on its 20th anniversary this 2021. The Galician-Portuguese association recalls the visit to Galicia in May 2004, to participate in the Ponte…nas Ondas! interschool radio experience. At that time, the “Gente que Encanta” Orchestra, with musicians aged between 12 and 25, offered in its concerts a classical repertoire with works by Bach, Haendel, Schumann, Strauss, etc. and a repertoire of traditional northeastern music by authors such as Luis Gonzaga or Catulo da P. Cearense. The musical performances were completed with a conference and the screening of a video of the project. The tour included concerts and visits to schools in Vigo, Pontevedra, Redondela, Gondomar, O Porriño, Baiona or Allariz. Also the participation in the program “Portugal no Coração”, on RTP1 and “Luar”, on TVG.
The Brazilian orchestra also recorded at the Casa de Tolos studio and made a small appearance on the album Meniños Cantores. The visit of the students and teachers of the Casa do Béradêro Cultural Institute ended on May 17, at the Galician-Portuguese Orality Exhibition held at the Teatro Principal in Pontevedra.
20 years helping children through the arts
The headquarters of the Institute are located in Catolé de Rocha, the capital of the state of Paraíba, in the northeast of Brazil. The project is developed with the financial support of numerous public institutions, such as the Municipality of Catolé de Rocha and the Federal University of Paraíba; in addition, some private companies and the general population collaborate in the project. But its best ambassador is the Brazilian singer-songwriter Chico César, who is the provider of a significant part of advertising and economic resources.
With the support of Sister Iracy and numerous public institutions and private companies, the Casa do Béradêro Cultural Institute aims, through music, to “promote human development and restore the self-esteem of children and adolescents in the Catolé de Rocha region through the appreciation of northeastern culture”.
Bridges… in Brazil!
The fruit of PNO!’s desire to deepen its ties with Brazil is also exemplified by the first visit of a representative from Colégio Pedro II in Rio de Janeiro to learn about the PNO! experience in situ and its subsequent participation in several editions of the school communication day. Also the participation of other educational centers such as Escola Francisca Leite or Escola Teodosio Oliveira Ledo in Boavista that also visited Galicia on the 20th anniversary of Ponte… nas Ondas!
PNO! also participated in the VIII Meeting of UNESCO Associated Schools in Brazil in São Luis do Maranhao, presenting its experience. The association was also invited to the 3rd Congress of Graduation and Research of the State University of Paraíba, where an exhibition of the work developed with the Galician-Portuguese intangible heritage was held. At the XIX World Congress of Educators organized in 2017 at the State University of Campinas, which brought together almost a thousand teachers under the motto “I am because we are”, Ponte…nas Ondas! presented its experience at the Table of the Peoples of Lusofonia along with other projects from different countries.
Album of images from the visit
A Peneira – bonus track DVD Meniños Cantores
