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Brazil Traveling Seminar:
Reconciliation, Ecology, and the Quest for Sustainable Development
April 8-22, 2008

Brazil is the largest and most populous country in South America and the fifth largest in the world both by area and population.  A nation with a long colonial history under the Portuguese, Brazil has recently adopted new models of development to reduce poverty and environmental degradation.  We invite you to join us in a seminar that will examine issues of development, ecology, and reconciliation through meetings with political, religious, and academic leaders from a variety of fields and expose participants to Brazil’s rich and diverse culture. 

The seminar will begin with orientation in Rio de Janerio.  Rio is a city of contrast with enormous disparity between rich and poor.  Participants will converse with some of Brazil’s leading intellectuals who will help us understand the challenges and opportunities shaping Brazil today.  We will also meet with Paulo Carneiro de Andrade, a prominent Catholic theologian, who will help us understand the role of religion and religions communities in Brazil. 

From Rio we will fly to Belo Horizonte and travel by bus to Ouro Preto.  A historic town dating back to the 1700s, Ouro Preto was the site of the Brazilian gold rush of the 1800s which allowed the Portuguese to accumulate wealth during the colonial period. The city contains well preserved colonial architecture, with few signs of modern urban life and was named a UN Historical Site in 1980.  Ouro Preto is also the home region of one of Brazil’s most well-known artists- Aleijadinho.  While in Ouro Preto, participants will meet with university leaders who will help interpret Brazil’s colonial history and its continuing effects. 

The seminar will then travel to Manaus, a city of 2 million and a gateway to the Amazon.  After a day spent reflecting on the changing nature of the Amazon region and issues including land distribution, immigration, and environmental degradation, we will travel into the Amazon by boat.  The Amazon, the lungs of the world, is probably the most critical ecological zone on earth.  During our visit, we will experience the beauty and diversity of this unique ecosystem first hand through several days of guided exploration.  

The seminar will conclude with a visit to Salvador, the center of Afro-Brazilian culture.  Salvador has the highest proportion of people of African descent of any region of the country and one of the largest black populations in the Western Hemisphere.  While in Salvador we will visit urban development projects and think about issues of urban ecology, religious syncretism, and development. 

At the seminar’s conclusion participants are encouraged to share what they have learned with constituencies back in the United States through presentations and/or written pieces.  Therefore personal and group reflection is an important component of this seminar, allowing participants to digest and dialogue with one another about the issues and positions being raised by the many leaders with whom we meet. 

Arrangements for the Seminar

The seminar will be led by Dr. Heidi Hadsell, President of Hartford Seminary, former Director of the World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Institute in Bossey, Switzerland, and a regular visiting professor to Brazil and Elizabeth Vélez, Plowshares Coordinator for Programs and Training.  Admission to the seminar is by application and personal or phone interview.  The group is limited to twenty-five participants selected on the basis of commitment to the three covenants and the ability to contribute to a group seeking balanced ecumenical and multi-cultural representation.  The total seminar cost for each participant, including travel from the East  Coast, housing, and all meals, is $3500, subject to change due to possible airfare increases.  All costs, except for passports and personal expenses, are included.  Applications and a deposit of $500 should be submitted to Plowshares by January 1, 2008. Academic Credit is available through Hartford Seminary.

For more information or to register: Contact Plowshares; Seminar Application