2023-05-31 17:36:14
The Malês campus of the University of International Integration of Afro-Brazilian Lusofonia (Unilab) received last Tuesday (5/30) yet another tribute for its 9 years of existence, completed on May 12. This time, the anniversary was celebrated in the auditorium of the Cejal school complex, in a special session promoted by the Municipality of São Francisco do Conde, municipality where the Unilab campus is located in Bahia. City councilors, representatives of government institutions and departments, members of the São Francisco do Conde community and the Malês campus attended the event.
During the special session, the Angolan student Alonso Carlos Artur, student representative of the Malês campus, highlighted the singularities of the Unilab project, which covers 8 national territories and different territorialities. “Unilab stands out because it focuses on Afro-centered knowledge and shows that we can contribute to the construction of new epistemologies and new knowledge. Knowledge that will enhance our environment, made by black men and women who understand themselves as black, and not as people who in some other way escape their identity and territoriality”, underlined Artur.
The student also pointed out the importance of Unilab/Campus dos Malês in the lives of those who pass through the institution. “We came here with a different perception of our countries than we have today. Many of us know more or have understood more about the history of our own country here at Unilab, because we have always, from a very early age, had a Eurocentric study of knowledge in our countries’ academy”, he highlighted.
The representative of the technical-administrative education at Unilab/Campus dos Malês Norberto Magalhães pointed out lessons that Unilab provides and also the challenges brought by the specificities of this university in the Brazilian and international context. “We have to walk no longer to be considered a new institution, but walk as an institution that is looking for consolidation and, for that, we depend on our partners in the territory”, he pointed out. He also highlighted the importance of dialogue with the territory and quality education to improve the life of the academic and surrounding communities. “This is a challenge that San Francisco embraces together with Unilab and this gesture here is very symbolic in relation to that”, he said.
The director of the Institute of Humanities and Letters Pedro Leyva recalled the challenges and potential of the Malês/Unilab campus and also pointed out a trajectory of historical difficulty in accessing higher education by the black population and the changes in this process. “Now black men and women in this city can study, black city councilors can be university councilors and professors”, he pointed out. Leyva also highlighted the importance of Unilab/Campus dos Malês in this process. “Our students and our professors are fulfilling our political and academic duty,” he said.
The director of the Malês campus Mírian Reis pointed out the trajectory of the Malês/Unilab campus, which was born in the context of the Support Program for Restructuring and Expansion Plans for Federal Universities (Reuni), for the internationalization of higher education and solidary cooperation between the peoples. She also pointed out that from Unilab, Brazil executes part of the forgiveness to the African people made by President Luís Inácio Lula da Silva, in Senegal, when he recognized the Brazilian debt with Africa. “A university created as a reparation action for the social damage caused by slavery is also a place for the reconstruction of Brazilian identity, because it proposes to think of Brazil from the African legacy for the people who were constituted here”, stated Reis. Still according to the director, “a black and African university is a call to combat racism and an effective democracy”.
Also in his speech, Reis pointed out the difficulties, the achievements and the inclusion of the Malês/Unilab campus in the current Bahian and federal political agenda, which resulted in the recent registration in the Term of Decentralized Execution (TED), so that Unilab can receive the budgetary credit that will enable the resumption of works on the Malês campus. The director also highlighted the role of the Malês/Unilab campus, in São Francisco do Conde, in contributing to the improvement of education and social indicators in the region and in other territories, based on quality training and performance of students and graduates . “Our excellent ratings by MEC [Ministério da Educação] reflect our expertise in anti-racist education, decolonial curricula, attentive to teaching guidelines for ethnic-racial relations and the needs of Brazil and African countries that form our community. This is masterfully expressed in our teaching, research and extension practices,” he said. In this process, director Mírian Reis also highlighted the role of the community that is part of the Unilab campus in Bahia. “The results reflect the best of what we have: our people. These people that we are, engaged and believers in this project, ”she said.
Historic
In the speeches of members of the City Council, the struggle of former mayor Rilza Valentim to bring Unilab to the municipality of São Francisco do Conde was highlighted. Councilwoman Rosângela Valentim de Jesus outlined in detail the paths taken by the former mayor so that the Malês/Unilab campus project would become a reality in the municipality, paths that involved conversations and negotiations with ministers and authorities linked to education. “The fight for a university to come to São Francisco do Conde is an old one, it’s not just now, it’s been going on for many years”, pointed out Rosângela Valentim. The councilor also highlighted the role of the Malês/Unilab campus for São Francisco do Conde. “Our people need to recognize and understand the importance of this university. But we will understand up front. The story will tell. The municipality thanks you”, said the councilor.
Councilor Marivaldo Amaral, proponent of the special session, also recalled the municipal efforts for a university project like Unilab to be installed in the municipality of São Francisco do Conde. He also highlighted the importance of Unilab/Campus dos Malês in promoting decolonial and anti-racist knowledge. “Growing and strengthening Unilab is, above all, strengthening a project for a better city, better society and better region, which can increasingly do social justice with our people”, he said.
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