Over three days, approximately 30 young people from the Northeast region came together at CESE to share lessons learnt and debate the current political situation, as well as the challenges young people experience. The meeting “Here amongst us: dialogue with young people from the northeast in the defence of rights” took place on 31 May, 01 and 02 June 2023, with support from DKA Austria and Bread for the World.
Several fronts participated in the meeting, including peasant youth, indigenous youth, young people from African-origin worship houses, black, urban, LGBTQIA+ youth, young women, young fishermen and women, quilombolas, young people from different cultural expressions and different religions.
Fifteen groups of young people from the Northeast region, who have different modes of operation, discussed relevant issues such as education, religious freedom, culture, grassroots communications, gender, race, territory and public policies.
The initiative seeks to strengthen young people’s organizations from the countryside and the city, based on dialogue and by sharing their collective practices in the defence of rights, exchanging experiences and lessons learnt.
Exchanges began with a round table about what inspires and moves these young people. Over the day, an analysis was made of the current political situation and the challenges faced by young people, marked by social inequalities. “We are in the same struggle, in search of improvements, the future is now, the present is what we are constructing,” declared Ana Maria, one of the representatives of the Regional Collective of Family Farming Organizations (Coletivo Regional das Organizações da Agricultura Familiar).
The second day included an Exchange Fair, where the groups got to know each other’s collectives and their work. Themes presented at the fair included grassroots communications, agroecology, the defence of the territory, and education; these were displayed through exhibitions and using certain tools and materials, such as booklets, websites and videos.
Young people are shaped by their experiences. The complexities, dilemmas and possibilities they encounter in certain social contexts are reflected in their practices, so it is essential to understand how these shape the way they exercise their autonomy, ensured through participation and dialogue. “We are here exchanging experiences, talking about political situations, talking about movements. It’s an important moment to listen and find out about each other’s experiences,” said Rodolfo Potiguara, representing the young people’s department of the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the Northeast, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo (Articulação dos Povos e Organizações Indígenas do Nordeste, Minas Gerais e Espírito Santo: APOINME).
From the questions and reflections that emerged during the meeting, the collectives were able to analyse their operations in groups and find out how they deal with conflicts. Maria Leandra Arruda, from the Tururu Power Collective (Coletivo Força Tururu) noted the importance of being in roundtable dialogue and having arenas for interaction, such as this. “Here we have the freedom to express ourselves, it’s very important, it’s a way of being able to talk,” she said.
Another agenda item was young people who communicate, with criticisms of the media and mass media journalism. They analysed the risks and the role of communications as an important instrument that helps the struggles expand, dynamically, through social media.
Another representative of the APOINME young people’s department, Gabriele Pankararu, said that young people exchange experiences and break down barriers through communications. “Difference unites us and respect strengthens us.” He noted that, despite being from different states, their territories have the same struggles. “This shows us that other communities are also going through similar situations.”
The young people also highlighted the demarcation of indigenous lands, the 2018 and 2022 elections, fake news, religion, the progress of black and indigenous parliamentarians, femicide, the criminalization of homophobia, the significant increase in young people’s collectives and political participation, mental health, climate justice and culture.
The days experienced at the meeting “Dialogue with young people from the northeast in the defence of rights” supported important reflections about the themes debated, from the agendas raised and the lessons learnt. These young people are knowledge multiplers, they are the protagonists of their stories and create transformational narratives and ways of thinking about the world.
The following groups participated in the meeting: APOINME, the National Coalition of Young Black Female Feminists (Articulação Nacional de Negras Jovens Feministas), the Association of Quilombola Agroforestry Agents (Associação Agentes Agroflorestais Quilombolas: AAQ), the Herbert de Souza Centre for the Defence of Life (Centro de Defesa da Vida Herbert de Souza), the CUC Regional Youth Collective (Coletivo de Jovens da Região CUC), the Tururu Power Collective, the Make Trouble Collective (Coletivo Incomode), the Regional Collective of Family Farming Organizations, the Youth Forum of Pernambuco (Fórum de Juventudes de Pernambuco: FOJUPE), the ABB Youth Forum (Fórum da Juventude de ABB), the Movement of the Lilac Spirit (Movimento do Espírito Lilás: MEL), Young Fishermen and Women (Juventude Pesqueira – MPP), the National Network of Afro-Brazilian Religions and Health (Rede Nacional de Religiões Afro-Brasileiras e Saúde: RENAFRO), the Network of Protagonists in Action from Itapagipe (Rede de Protagonistas em Ação de Itapagipe: REPROTAI) and the People’s Web (Teia dos Povos).