WED in Brazil: Ecospirituality at work?

(a Candomble celebration)

Getting WED in Brazil is not just about exciting honeymoon spots in Rio de Janeiro.  This year’s WED (World Environment Day 2012) celebration is much more about preserving Brazil’s (and the

world’s) natural beauty for generations to come.

Not only did Brazil additionally host the 1992 WED (right before the first Earth Summit), but it is also “at the forefront of building an economy that includes recycling and renewable energy and the generation of green jobs” according to a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report.  The UNEP website also

reports that Brazil is currently home to the world’s greatest amount of biodiversity.

Although festivities actually began on May 31^st with the opening of Green Nation Fest Exhibits, Workshops

and Creative Competitions – today’s June 5^th World Environment Day features a WED Celebration at the

Presidential Palace and a Special Session of the Senate.  All this, coupled with ongoing initiatives such as the

“Saco e um saco” campaign for alternatives to plastic bags, the Ubersite Team’s educational efforts regarding the Amazon’s endangered pink dolphins, and CGM’s sustainable ceramic facility, shows the seriousness of Brazil’s commitment to Mother Earth.

This could be linked to Brazil’s overall commitment to spirituality.  Wikipedia reports:  “Religion in Brazil has a higher adherence level compared to other Latin American countries, and is more diverse.”  This diversity is partly due to the “confluence” of Roman Catholic Portugese traditions with those of indigenous peoples and former African slaves.  During the 20^th century, the Protestant population also experienced rapid growth (and now includes more than 15% of Brazil’s population). There are also “over a million and a half Spiritists” (who believe in the existence of non-physical beings - and in the possibility of communicating with them), members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “numerous followers of Candomble and Umbanda,” and “small minorities” of Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.  In Brazil’s most recent census, about 90% of the population “declared some sort of religious affiliation.”

Resources

http://www.unep.org/wed/hostcountry/index2.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Brazil

Copyright June 5, 2012 by Linda Van Slyke