Procomum
We are excited to share a new series of blogs to spotlight our wonderful Global We partners around the world, and their efforts to include everyone in the urgent climate conversation.
Our partners are generously facilitating conversations – across borders, cultures and socio-economic backgrounds – which take place in repurposed containers, equipped with large screens and high-quality audio. These portals enable immersive, eye-to-eye conversations between people in cities and more rural areas all over the world.
Here we offer a glimpse into the incredible work that Procomum – based in Santos, Brazil – is doing to bring local people into the global conversation, to protect the city and the region they love.
The UN Live portal in situ.
On a sunny 14 December 2022, the UN Live portal was lowered into its chosen spot, along Brazil’s coastline, on one of the most popular beach spots in Santos. Set on the densely populated island of São Vicente, the region is biodiverse, rich in flora, fauna, waterfalls, and national parks, and offers a sense of calm which is missing in frenetic São Paulo (just 50 km away). Here, where a hot wave of humid air lifts off the sea and mixes with the scent of trees, people ride bikes, surf, and elderly folk stroll with their caregivers.
Like many coastal areas, Santos is predicted by many to bear the full force of climate change. Landslides are a familiar threat, and climate is already compounding the city’s high rates of social inequality. Many residents live in stilt houses – palafita – lapped by the ocean, yet walk some 20 km across the island, and you’ll find a different scene: white sandy beaches and the largest beachfront garden in the world. It’s a them-and-us microcosm where people on the frontline of climate impact have valuable experiences to share.
The Procomum team.
We caught up with Procomum’s impressive team to hear their experiences of leading conversations from the Global We portal in Santos. Joining our conversation were Georgia Nicolau – Co-Founder and Director of Partnerships, Isabella Luz – Institutional Development Coordinator, and Dener Xavier and Calú Narcizo (who is non-binary and uses neutral pronouns) – both expert facilitators.
launched in 2016, during a year of political turbulence in Brazil and quickly built an incredible track record of social transformation achievements – in nature, the economy, science, education, technology and culture. Its mission is to build a world that respects, protects and defends common goods in the world for different people and its website brims with ideas and possibilities.
LabProcomum, for example, is a phenomenal citizen laboratory that develops social prototypes and initiatives and takes them to fruition. In short, it connects people so they can translate words into action. Says Georgia, “Our impact needs to be lasting”.
The team were excited to share impressions of the Global We portal’s inaugural session, where we asked the question: “Imagine that the quietest voices on climate change are heard. What are they saying?” To encourage marginalised neighbourhood groups to join, the team have explored different ways of using the power of popular culture.
Rap battle underway.
One of their favourite moments came when Dener and Calú collaborated with the portal in Iraq’s Erbil refugee camp, to bring together rappers in a Rap Battle. “It was magical”, says Calú. “It was such a beautiful experience. Amazing and emotional”, adds Dener. For the rappers – female and trans members included – it was a revelatory cultural exchange.
These underground artists were reaching across borders with their art. They were sharing their everyday experiences of climate impact, in an area that’s rife with environmental racism (whereby marginalised groups face greater exposure to hazards). Many of these communities get left behind; people use them as trash dumps. “The palafitas don’t count”, says the Procomum team.
Calú and Dener in front of the UN Live portal.
Since its opening, the Santos portal has connected with Mexico, South Africa, Barbados, Denmark, Ethiopia and Kenya, and these immersive global conversations have focused on sharing life experiences under climate change. Everyone has been struck by the sense of closeness that reaches across the globe (“We are there in the same space”), and Dener has set himself the goal of making sure these connections translate into action. But he reminded us of the challenges faced by marginalised people.
“It’s hard to talk about sustainability and the environment when you are just trying to survive and can barely sustain yourself. Where can I find money to eat tomorrow? It makes me emotional. We need to open the minds of politicians. Connect to people with power. I see the richness in that. We need to keep exchanging views. Stay hands-on.”
Georgia (to the left) and Isabella (to the right).
We asked Procumum how they’d like to see this programme scale and drive change, and they are adamant that UN Live needs to keep linking the grassroots with the global, rolling out portals across the world, sharing this magical experience, and finding the common thread between different communities. Says Isabella, “It’s a way to connect conversations to a global community.” For Calú, “The portal is a hub for acceleration. People want to make things happen.” Georgia adds, “It means a really interesting experimentation of creating networks, strengthening communities and opening up collaboration possibilities. I hope this will develop for the long-term.”
At the end of portal sessions we ask each participant to leave a message for global decision-makers. As the ears and eyes of the Brazil portal, we were keen to hear our on-the-ground team’s summary of insights, and this is what they told us:
From everyone at UN Live, a big thank you to everyone at Procomum, whose generous collaboration continues to be invaluable!
You can find the Santos portal in front of the beach at Concha Acústica de Santos, at Av. Vicente de Carvalho, 0 – Gonzaga. It’s open every day except Sunday and will remain in place until the end of February 2023.
The Global We programme is supported by IKEA Foundation and powered by Shared Studios.
UN Live portals facilitate connections between people, collectives, initiatives, NGOs, organisations and leaders from all over the world. Join the Global We for Climate Action.