PRESS CONFERENCE BY MINISTER OF CULTURE OF BRAZIL

PRESS CONFERENCE BY MINISTER OF CULTURE OF BRAZIL

Gilberto Gil, the Minister of Culture of Brazil and a Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter, spoke to correspondents today at Headquarters about his upcoming memorial concert and his vision for the future of Brazil.

Mr. Gil was introduced by Shashi Tharoor, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information.

On the eve of his dedication performance in the General Assembly Hall for United Nations colleagues killed in the bombing in Baghdad, Mr. Gil stressed the importance of separating last month’s tragedy with Brazil’s historical relationship with the Arab world. 

“We have to be against terrorism, it’s very obvious”, he said.  “But that is not a position that would make the grounds, the historical grounds, of our relationship with the Arab world.  We shouldn’t establish a link between the two things.”

The Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, a native of Brazil, was killed in the bombing on 19 August, along with 22 other United Nations employees. 

Scheduled to be in Tel Aviv this week, Mr. Gil changed his travel plans once the Secretary-General extended an invitation for him to perform at Headquarters.

“Brazil is fighting, peacefully fighting, for peace in the Middle East”, he said.  

Speaking of his goals as Culture Minister, Mr. Gil said he is working towards improving the Ministry’s administrative organization, adjusting the budget for social programmes and reforms and developing policies for discussion of Brazil’s international role.

According to Mr. Gil, alternative financial sources, like the lottery, have been identified, and new cultural centres are planned for poor areas of large cities and in smaller cities throughout the country.

“My promise to the President is to be dedicated to the Ministry and residually dedicated to my music”, said Mr. Gil, who has been in office for nine months.  “It’s nice and exciting and really interesting to collaborate for a government like this.”

At tomorrow’s tribute concert, Mr. Gil said he planned to sing for one hour or more, beginning at 7 p.m.

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