It was an action-packed day that brought together about 3,000 people in the Paracatu community for the latest “Integrar na Praça” (Integrar in the square), the popular arts, education and cultural festival.
Held on May 21st, the theme of the day was human rights, with a focus on teenagers and young adults, and included activities like graffiti art workshops, dance performances and soccer games.
The event is part of the larger Integrar program, which was created in 2011 with the goal of supporting professional development opportunities for the Paracatu community. The program focuses on education, culture, supporting local job creation and the environment. Integrar assists many small businesses, including one that sold baked goods at “Integrar na Praça”.
“Integrar na Praça is now a community tradition where families, employees and everyone in the community gets involved. We celebrate our local cultural traditions and heritage and there is something for everyone,” said Ana Maria Ferreira Cunha, Communications Manager, Paracatu. “Kids and adults alike are learning while having fun and being active.”
There was also a sea of yellow shirts for “May Yellow”, a campaign to raise awareness about road safety and the high rate of deaths in traffic accidents. One hundred and twenty people, including Kinross employees, participated in a 10km bike ride around the city to help spread the message.
The day also included a used clothing drive that raised funds for a local charity, the Community Association of Social Integration.
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Getting crafty: families get creative at the arts and crafts table
Game time!
A 10km bike ride part of the ‘May Yellow’ campaign to raise awareness about road safety
Some of the graffiti art
