The future of culture: Kids 20 interviews Minister Margareth Menezes

Six students from the News Agency at School, a project carried out by Bahia's state school system, covered the latest G20 ministerial meeting on culture, which took place in November in Salvador, the capital of Bahia. They had the opportunity to interview Brasil's Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes.

Culture was the last G20 working group to hold a meeting between its ministers before the Leaders' Summit. A week before the meeting between the heads of state of the world's largest economies in Rio de Janeiro, the heads of the countries' culture departments met in Salvador, Bahia. As in previous G20 meetings this year, the event was covered by the young people of Kids 20. On the occasion, six students from the News Agency at School Project, part of Bahia's Department of Education, interviewed Brasil's Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes, and discussed culture and related topics, such as sustainability, social inclusion, and technology.

Flavielly Sena Máximo, a student at the Professor Magalhães Neto State School, started the interview asking about the scope of cultural policies throughout Brasil. “First, we need to understand the history of the Ministry of Culture itself. Brasil is a giant country and the Ministry of Culture needs to pay attention to its dimension,” said the minister. Thayssa Souza Nascimento, from Anísio Loureiro State School, then questioned the role of culture in a more inclusive society. “Our culture is rich and diverse, but it also bears profound marks of inequality and exclusion,” she said. “Culture is a powerful tool for raising awareness about these climate issues,” said Margareth. 

Graziele Duarte Santos, from Anísio Teixeira State Laboratory School, asked about the use of artificial intelligence in culture and the importance of regulations to protect copyright. “Artificial intelligence is a tool with great potential and can be used in various ways,” said the minister, pointing to the need to regulate the sector to ensure that artists and creators are compensated for their work. “At the G20, we are proposing that the rights of creators and authors be respected,” she added.

For many of the young people present, the interview was also an opportunity to discuss issues that are directly related to their daily lives. One of the students mentioned the lack of audiovisual production in Bahia and the recent creation of Bahia Filmes, a state film agency. “This investment will bring more opportunities, improvements in quality, courses, and tools for developing Bahia's cinema even further,” said the minister, who celebrated the initiative as a milestone for audiovisual production in the state and an opportunity to bolster regional production.

The event was concluded with an encouraging message from the minister to the young people present. “Take care of these cultural spaces, because they are yours. Take care of everything, as this is very important for your future”. 

Check out the productions:

Anísio Loureiro State School

Campo Castelo Branco State School

Antônio Felipe Evangelista Neto State School

Anísio Loureiro State School

News Agency at School Project

The News Agency at School Project brings together students and teachers to continuously produce news about the school and its surroundings. The initiative aims to stimulate student protagonism and active learning, challenging students to create content that directly reflects their reality. As a result, they develop skills such as autonomy, responsibility, expression, and practical learning competencies, including reading, research, argumentation, and writing, all in a multilingual environment that explores different media.

Information from the Ministry of Culture

*Translated by PGET-UFSC

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