In the midst of the celebration of Black Awareness Week, IDG, IPHAN, the US Consulate General and the City Hall of Rio de Janeiro, through the Municipal Secretary of Culture, signed a partnership for developing conservation initiatives and consolidating the archaeological site of the Cais do Valongo, in Rio's port area.

At first, the project will take care of restoring the original stone pavement, draining rainwater and reinforcing structural walls, foundations, and superstructure. The aim is for the ruins to function as an open-air museum, a snippet of the past that must be preserved respecting the artistic and historical values involved.

"We're very happy with this partnership which will allow us to tell the story of Cais do Valongo archeological site and resignify a painful moment in our recent past, slavery, in an environment of reflection and appreciation of African cultures - mostly a culture of struggle and resistance - as well as in a place to promote and defend human rights", recalls Piquet.  

The project is sponsored by the US government through the United States Ambassadors Fund for cultural preservation.

It should be noted that Cais do Valongo was considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017, as it's the only material vestige of the landing of about 1 million Africans enslaved at the Americas. This is the first major intervention in the area since the title was obtained and it has, among other goals, the mission of publicizing the place's historical value.

Photo: Carlos Kulps - US Consulate General – RJ