The Tuscaloosa News

FELIPE DA SILVA: Brazil is edging onto the world power scene

Published: Saturday !ctober " #$$% at ":"$ a&'& Last (odi)ied: Friday !ctober # #$$% at **:+* p&'&

Editors Note: Felipe da Silva is a student from Brazil studying journalism and political science at the University of Ala ama! "e is also a fall #$$% intern at &he &uscaloosa Ne's! (t too) long enough for *io de +aneiro to e chosen as a host city for the Summer ,lympic -ames. After eing a candidate for the #$$/ and #$0# games. the city of 1&he -irl from (panema2 finally got its deserved place in the international community! Not that the other candidates did not have advantages in hosting the games! 3hicago. 4adrid and &o)yo are igger economically and may have fe'er social pro lems than a city li)e *io! As a 'orld'ide event. the ,lympic -ames have not only a mission to define the 'orlds est athletes. ut also to unite mem ers of every nation. cele rating life and humans amazing achievements! &he ,lympic -ames is a democratizing event giving e5ual opportunities to people of different colors. religions and nationalities!

The Tuscaloosa News

(magine a city 'ants to organize a party 'ith its citizens every year! No'. imagine that only the richest families in the city are allo'ed to host these parties! &his is just 'hat has happened until this historical day! &he amount of money injected into the economy of the host city is so ig that it has the a ility to ma)e an economical. educational and social impact that 'ill last for decades! For a long time. *io de +aneiro has een )no'n for the 3arnivale. 'omen and eaches! ,n the other hand. the city has poverty. violence and drug cartels! As a Brazilian and lover of *io de +aneiro. ( elieve this scenario has to change! ( have had the opportunity to go to many places in the 'orld! ( have een in the iggest cities in the U!S! and had the opportunity to interact 'ith people of different nationalities! For this reason. ( elieve no' it is time to give the same opportunity to people from places li)e *ocinha. one of the poorest places in *io! ( 'ant them to have a chance to see NBA stars as ( have! ( 'ant them to see s'immers li)e 4ichael 6helps and perhaps dream to e li)e him. rather than a soccer player! ( 'ant to e7pand even more the opportunities that they have to e a etter person in the future! But if you are afraid to go to *io de +aneiro. my e7periences in this city allo' me to say to you: 6lease. dont e afraid8

The Tuscaloosa News

*ios investments in the ,lympic -ames are e7pected to e a out 90/ illion! &his means that not only infrastructure 'ill e uilt : 'hich *io already has from the 6an;American -ames in #$$< : ut investments 'ith security 'ill e large and violence 'ill not e an issue! &his place is lessed y -od and pretty much everything you see is e7tremely eautiful! &he mountains surrounding the city. the lively and vi rant people playing volley all in the 'hite and shiny sand. and the feeling of drin)ing a 3aipinha 'hile listening to people playing sam a or ossa nova is uni5ue! ( 'ould say the only thing you have to fear is falling in love 'ith it! Every year. people from different countries uy apartments in the =e lon neigh orhood in *io. one of the most e7pensive neigh orhoods to live in. 'ith apartments costing millions of dollars! Friday 'as not a historical moment just for me. as a Brazilian. ut for everyone 'ho is eager to cele rate diversity and spread a sense of community! As my father said. in a te7t message moments after the (,3 decision. 1&his 'ill change our lives forever!2Brazil is edging onto the 'orld po'er scene