São Paulo – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is hosting from May 20 to June 2 the photo exhibit Faces do Refúgio (Faces of Asylum), at mall Brasília Shopping in Brasília. There will also be film screenings. The event is a celebration of World Refugee Day, on June 20.
According to the UNHCR, the exhibit comprises 52 photos taken around the world by its staff photographers. The backdrop is forced displacements prompted by fighting in countries like Syria, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Myanmar. The show curated by the UNHCR and Atelier Vanessa Poitena was featured in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro last year.
(Story continues after photo gallery)
The event’s opening will include a showing of the short film A Linguagem do Coração, at the Brasília Shopping Theater, followed by the panel Asylum: a forced journey in search of a safe horizon, with UNHCR joint representative Federico Martinez; National Committee for Refugees coordinator general Bernardo Laferté; GloboNews TV channel reporter Raquel Porto Alegre; and Venezuelan refugee Stefane. Directed by Silvana Nuti, the movie portrays the aspirations and reasons that drove people of various nationalities to seek asylum in Brazil. The session begins 7pm on the 20th; doors open at 6:30pm.
Also to be shown are the films Exodus: de onde eu vim não existe mais, a Brazilian-German documentary by Hank Levine following the journey of six refugees; the Brazilian-Colombian-French production Los Silencios, by Beatriz Seigner; and Recomeços: sobre mulheres, refúgio e trabalho, a Brazilian documentary by Felipe Abdeu and Thays Prado featuring women involved in the UNHCR’s Empowering Refugees program.
The event is free of charge and tickets will be available on the days of each showing from 6pm.
According to the UNHCR, over 68 million people around the world have left their homes as a result of fighting or persecution. Thirty-five percent of refugees in Brazil are from Syrian.
Quick facts
Exhibition – Faces of Asylum
May 20-June 2
Brasília Shopping: Cúpula Sul, Theater
Mon-Sat, 6am-10pm; Sun-holidays, 10am-10pm
Free admission
Film screenings
May 21 (Tue), 26 (Sun), 7pm
Êxodos: de onde eu vim não existe mais
May 22 (Wed), 25 (Sat), 7pm
Los Silencios
May 23 (Thu), 7pm
Recomeços: Sobre Mulheres, Refúgio e Trabalho.
May 20 (Mon), 7pm
Linguagem do Coração
Click here for additional information and synopses
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
