Carlos Gandara, president of the Brazilian Confederation of Photography, described how his organization is using photography to both document and revitalize Brazil's rich and diverse cultures.
Speaking at a sub-forum of the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting in Beijing on Friday, he said that Brazilians see photography as a universal language, essential for documenting and preserving their rich heritage.
"We at the Brazilian Confederation of Photography take great care to ensure that all of Brazil's cultures, both major and minor, are recorded so that future generations have access. Today, access is so simple. We have a program that encourages and enables photography communities across Brazil to go to small cultural communities, to small production centers -- whether musical, natural, or handicraft -- and capture them with photographs. We believe that photography has a universal language; it needs no translation," he said.
Gandara emphasized the confederation's active role in strengthening cultural traditions, noting that some cultures that were dying have now been rejuvenated through their efforts.
"So we use this power that the confederation has -- to have its members, its photographers, record all of that. Once we've registered it, what we do is try to solidify it, make these things stronger and stronger, whether through book publications, website placements, or social media, so that these cultures can be maintained and thrive. What we've seen is that some cultures, even in Brazil, that were dying have been rejuvenated, growing with this, and that leaves us very, very, very satisfied," he said.
Themed "Safeguarding Diversity of Human Civilizations for World Peace and Development", the Global Civilizations Dialogue Ministerial Meeting was held in Beijing on Thursday and Friday, attracting over 600 guests from 140 countries and regions.
Brazilian Confederation of Photography president highlights cultural revival through documentation
