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June 10, 2008
VIDEO SUMMARY: Brazil is on track to become an economic powerhouse in play NewsHour video the 21st century, but gaping social inequalities still plague this country of 187 million. Simon Marks offers the first in a series of reports from Brazil on the country’s economic and political scene. This video segment is 13 minutes long.

SELECTED QUOTES:

“For the past six years, alleviating poverty in the favelas, the shanty towns that exist on the lip of Brazil’s major cities, has been the primary focus of the government of President Inacio Lula da Silva, himself a former shoe-shine boy with no formal education.” - Simon Marks, NewsHour Correspondent
“The most important social fact about Brazil in the last half-century is that we now have a new middle class coming from below of mixed race, dark skin, a people who struggle to build small businesses.” Roberto Mangabeira Unger Minister of Strategic Affairs, Brazil
“We think that by creating a model which will serve these type of students — I mean, the top echelon in terms of talent — we are helping the public system to be renewed, to be reinvigorated, and to change. It’s a very grave, very serious problem we have in education in this country. ” -Luis Silva, Director of Social Development, Embraer
“Before, this area was comparable with countries that were in the midst of a civil war. You could see in people’s eyes how scared they were. Nowadays, it’s different. People can go out at night.” - Capt. Gilberto da Silva - Sao Paolo Police Department
“I am a Brazilian worker, working for the progress of the nation. Brazil is a beautiful country, like a flower growing in the garden. The stars are bright tonight. The sky is blue.” - Andre Roberto, street poet and shoe-shiner for 43 years

WARM-UP QUESTIONS:

Brazil is the 5th largest country in the world. Name the 4 larger countries. Brazil is the 4th most populous democracy in the world - name the other three. Why is Portuguese the official language of Brazil? Share something you know about the Amazon.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
What did you learn from this video that you didn’t already know? What is causing the economic boom in Brazil? Who is and who isn’t benefiting from the strong economic growth? Does crime in Brazilian cities seem about the same as in our large cities? Do you think the harsh police methods seen in the video are justified? What is a “favela?” Do we have anything similar in our country?

RESOURCES:
Transcript: Brazil’s Economic Boom Marred by Social Inequalities
Library of Congress Country Study: Brazil
CIA World Factbook: Brazil
World of Wonders South America Expedition Lesson Plans
Foreign Policy Association: Great Decisions: Lesson Plan: Brazil
Veloso’s Songs of Brazil Brazilian pop star NewsHour interview

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