Plataforma CIPÓ was present on December 4th and 5th at the MERCOSUR Social Summit, held at the Museum of Tomorrow and the Museum of Art of Rio (MAR) in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together approximately 300 people. The meeting preceded the Common Market Summit (on the 6th) and the Leaders Summit (on the 7th), and approved a letter to be delivered to the heads of state of the bloc.
After a seven-year interruption, since the MERCOSUR Social Summit did not take place between 2016 and 2023, the meeting occurred virtually in July of this year under the temporary presidency of Argentina in the bloc. Only now, under the temporary Brazilian presidency, did the forum take place again in person – a significant milestone for the resumption of social participation.
Among other authorities and representatives of civil society, the opening ceremony included the participation of State Ministers Anielle Franco (Racial Equality) and Cida Gonçalves (Women), and Mayor Eduardo Paes. The one-and-a-half-day program included three panel discussions, and also focused discussions in five working groups: Right to work with rights; Confronting hunger and poverty; Citizenship and human rights; Development and the environment; and Strengthening social participation in MERCOSUR.
CIPÓ was present in the working group on development and environmental issues, with the participation of researcher Vitória Gonzalez, who emphasized the importance of strengthening social participation and parliamentary diplomacy for greater climate action within the bloc.
