Mercosur culture ministers ink declaration against racism
Culture ministers from Mercosur countries signed a joint declaration on Thursday (9) reaffirming the bloc’s commitment to promoting ethnic-racial equality and combating racism in the region.
The proposal, drafted by Brazilian Minister Margareth Menezes, who holds the pro tempore presidency of Mercosur Cultural, was unveiled at a meeting with Mercosur culture ministers in Belém, Pará state.
The joint declaration recognizes that racial inequality is a structural problem throughout the region, which affects both economic inequalities and the influence of social, cultural, and political dynamics. The document also acknowledges the contribution of indigenous peoples and people of African descent to shaping the society and the cultural identity of Mercosur nations.
The text also proposes the creation of a campaign against racism and the development of cultural policies for indigenous people and traditional communities to tackle inequalities and racism.
Minister Menezes noted that now is the time for countries to step up their campaigns against racism. “Through culture, we can raise awareness. We can go deeper. [Culture] is a tool to combat discrimination, misogyny, racism, and to fight for the rights of women too, of the people who need it most,” she said.
The countries pledged to strengthen cooperation to ensure the full exercise of the economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights of those facing discrimination, in addition to adopting affirmative action with a gender-based perspective as a tool to combat racial inequalities and promote democracy.
The members
Mercosur Cultural is made up of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela—even though its membership has been suspended since 2017—as well as associate states Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Bolivia, which is in the process of joining the bloc, also participates as an associate.
During the meeting on Thursday, Brazil handed over the presidency of the bloc of culture ministers to Paraguay.
*The reporter traveled to the ministers’ meeting at the invitation of Brazil’s Ministry of Culture.
