Discovery through Brazil!

Jun 25, 2004

SIR— As an international relations student, I regularly search the internet for news about my country Brazil in the hope of learning what other people think of us.

SIR— As an international relations student, I regularly search the internet for news about my country Brazil in the hope of learning what other people think of us.

It was in one of these searches that I came across Onapito Ekomoloit's article, “It’s not all soccer on Brazil streets”, in yesterday’s New Vision.

He was surprised to see a different Brazil when visiting the country for the UNCTAD conference, as well as Brazilians' almost complete ignorance of Ugandan and other African affairs.

The article focuses on commercial matters as well, showing how Brazil also adopts a protectionist policy against Africa like developed nations do.

But I was intrigued by the sections about cultural shock. Many things separate my country from Africa and even its neighbours in Latin America.

A major factor is communication. And so we only receive news from Africa through the developed nations’ news agencies and eyes, whose focus on us is tainted — poverty, war, AIDS, the money and “the good” they are doing Africa, etc.

André Bueno
Sao Paolo

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