Brazil, Denmark seek to intensify partnerships in sustainability
Biodiversity, sustainability, and climate change are key components of the diplomatic agenda between Brazil and Denmark. As part of this partnership, Queen Mary Donaldson of Denmark visited the Embrapa Cerrados headquarters on Friday (Oct. 4) to explore technologies aimed at enhancing crop-livestock integration and sustainability. Embrapa Cerrados is a public institution and one of the divisions of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa).
Denmark's ambassador to Brazil, Eva Bisgaard Pedersen, describes Embrapa's work as “revolutionary” and expressed her country's intention to strengthen partnerships with Brazil. “The work being done here is truly inspiring. We must learn from Embrapa, analyze the results, and advance this cooperation,” Pedersen stated.
According to Embrapa's president, Silvia Massuruhá, the visit from the Danish delegation presents an opportunity to strengthen ties with Denmark and showcase technologies that integrate agriculture with environmental sustainability. Massuruhá emphasized that one of Embrapa's key challenges is ensuring food security in Brazil through sustainable practices. “We aim to enhance productivity while conserving natural resources,” she stated.
On Thursday (3), the Danish delegation visited the National Institute for Amazonian Research (Inpa) in Manaus, Amazonas state. Inpa is a leading institution in the study of Amazonian biodiversity and plays a crucial role in understanding the dynamics of the world's largest contiguous tropical rainforest.
Tupinambá cloak
On Friday (4), President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva welcomed Queen Mary Donaldson of Denmark at the Planalto presidential palace in Brasília. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, Health Minister Nísia Trindade, and the President's special advisor, Celso Amorim. The queen was accompanied by Denmark's Minister for Climate and Energy, Lars Aagaard, as well as the Danish ambassador, Eva Bisgaard Pedersen.
Lula invited Denmark to join the Alliance Against Hunger, which Brazil will launch at the G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro this November. He also expressed gratitude to Denmark for returning the Tupinambá cloak to the National Museum in Rio de Janeiro. This item is regarded as a living entity with spiritual significance, embodying identity, memory, and a sense of belonging for Brazil's indigenous peoples, particularly the Tupi communities.
The queen expressed her solidarity with the floods that have affected Rio Grande do Sul state, as well as the droughts and wildfires impacting other regions of Brazil. She highlighted the shared values and ideas between Brazil and Denmark. Key themes of the visit included access to healthcare through telemedicine, gender equality, and environmental preservation.
