{"id":38854,"date":"2026-02-23T08:24:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T07:24:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/?p=38854"},"modified":"2026-02-23T09:29:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T08:29:43","slug":"brazil-interfaith-event-held-at-the-federal-public-prosecutors-office-celebrates-a-culture-of-peace-in-paraiba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/?p=38854","title":{"rendered":"Brazil: Interfaith event held at the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office celebrates a culture of peace in Para\u00edba."},"content":{"rendered":"
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TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .<\/p>\n

An article from Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Para\u00edba<\/a> (translation by CPNN)<\/p>\n

An interfaith event was held at the headquarters of the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) in Jo\u00e3o Pessoa, on Friday (6), and brought together representatives of different religious traditions, authorities and family members of singer Preta Gil, in compliance with a condition foreseen in a non-prosecution agreement (ANPP). The process originated from statements made by Father Danilo C\u00e9sar de Sousa Bezerra during a homily at the Parish of Areial (PB), broadcast online. For the MPF, the practice of religious racism, foreseen by Law No. 7,716\/1989, was established, as it went beyond the field of theological criticism and directly affected religions of African origin, with concrete effects on their communities.
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\n\u00a0Video of the Umbanda Hymn being sung (Click on image to go to the music)<\/a>
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According to federal prosecutor Janaina Andrade, responsible for monitoring the agreement before the 16th Federal Court of Para\u00edba, the condition established in the Non-Prosecution Agreement (ANPP) for holding an interfaith ceremony was fulfilled, with the priest’s participation in the ceremony and the apology from the Catholic Church in Para\u00edba to the Afro-Brazilian religious communities and the family of singer Preta Gil, “further promoting reconstruction and a culture of peace.”<\/p>\n

\u201cIn our assessment, the closing of the event, with everyone holding hands while the Umbanda Hymn was sung by M\u00e3e Renilda, who has been committed to the religion for 54 years, effectively achieves the reparation sought in the ANPP, building a new path of peace and respect for the Afro-Brazilian faith,\u201d the prosecutor highlighted.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeyond the constitutional mandate of secularism, religious freedom needs to be experienced, protected, and fostered daily by all of society,\u201d stated Jana\u00edna Andrade. According to her, the moment of peace reconstruction established by the Catholic Church in Para\u00edba and religious leaders of African origin, as well as with the family of singer Preta Gil, needs to go beyond the fulfillment of a judicial obligation.<\/p>\n

\u2028\u201cMay this interfaith event resonate throughout the country to combat religious racism, which manifests not only in hate speech and oral discourse, but also, for example, from pulpits. May this moment also foster collective reflection on respect, preventing the destruction of sacred sites and images, as recently occurred in Jo\u00e3o Pessoa,\u201d she added. For her, this moment should also allow for respect for the sculptural works of leading religious figures, such as the sculpture of M\u00e3e Stella de Ox\u00f3ssi, which was destroyed in Salvador.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrazilian society needs to know the history of the enslaved people who came from Africa to Brazil, especially the lack of public policies for slaves considered freed by the Golden Law, who were pushed to peripheral areas,\u201d added the public prosecutor. She further added that \u201cit is necessary to understand the Brazilian cultural importance of the Afro-Brazilian religious communities and to dissociate the image of religions of African origin from evil.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paulo Vasconcelos Jacobina, Deputy Attorney General of the Republic, also spoke at the hearing, highlighting the importance of the Gil Family’s participation and the priest’s gesture. “Justice that truly changes things for the better. Our expectation is that this event will teach us, as a community and as a legal community, that things can be transformed into better things through dialogue, forgiveness, and understanding,” said the Deputy Attorney General.<\/p>\n

Tolerance and harmony \u2013\u00a0In his speech during the event, singer Gilberto Gil, father of Preta Gil, who was the target of religious racism, expressed gratitude for the act of reparation. “Our thanks for the act of reparation for this aggression, this act of injustice perpetrated against us, our entire family, our friends, and relatives. I am pleased that reparation is being made, that the aggression, the injustice, is being acknowledged,” said Gil. ”\u00a0To the priest, his parish, and all those involved in religious life, we also express our gratitude for the rapprochement that is being proposed, that is being made, which I hope will be absolutely sincere and profound, as it is on our part,” he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2028Finally, he declared, \u201cMay understanding, harmony, and the harmonization of our habits and ways be in tune with this civilizing gesture of comprehension, repentance, and satisfaction with the prospect of a better future in our multiple, broad relationships, all of us as individuals and as a society,\u201d he said. \u201cMay we move forward from here with more understanding and less intolerance,\u201d Gilberto Gil concluded.<\/p>\n

\u2028Also present remotely, Flora Gil highlighted the importance of the meeting as a possible path forward in the face of the harmful effects of religious intolerance. She emphasized that “intolerance only hinders progress” and that, in the current context, “being tolerant is the best path in the world we live in,” wishing health, peace, and blessings to all participants.<\/p>\n

\u2028Representing the Archdiocese of Para\u00edba and the National Conference of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) \u2013 Northeast Region, Father Euclides Marinho stated that the event symbolizes a milestone in the dialogue between religions and in the recognition of shortcomings that require reparation. For him, the meeting expresses \u201ca movement of fraternity,\u201d demonstrating that religion can and should be \u201ca sign to the world of good values, of unity, of fraternity, and of justice.\u201d During the event,\u00a0Father Euclides honored the family of the deceased singer by performing the song ‘Dr\u00e3o’, written by Gilberto Gil.\u00a0He was accompanied by the guitarist Davi Franca.<\/p>\n

According to M\u00e3e Renilda de Ox\u00f3ssi, president of the Independent Federation of Afro-Brazilian Cults of the State of Para\u00edba and coordinator of the Terreiro Women’s Network, the act represented a historic moment for people of African descent. With more than fifty years of religious experience, she stated that she had never witnessed a similar initiative. \u201cI have never seen an act like this. I am seeing it today and I was very happy that someone asked forgiveness in person from people of African descent. Unprecedented,\u201d she celebrated.<\/p>\n

Check out the video of moments from the event and Mother Renilda’s speech about ‘forgiveness’.<\/a><\/p>\n

(Article continued in right column)<\/p>\n

(Click here for the original Portuguese version<\/a> of this article)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Question(s) related to this article:<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
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Are we making progress against racism?<\/a><\/p>\n

Latin America, has it taken the lead in the struggle for a culture of peace?<\/a> <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

(Article continued from left column)<\/p>\n

Reparation \u2013\u00a0The spiritual leader Rafael Barbosa assessed the meeting as an example to be followed. For him, \u201cthis was a very important moment that the Public Prosecutor’s Office is offering us, and which also serves as a reference for the entire community.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Pastor Estevam Fernandes, of the First Baptist Church of Jo\u00e3o Pessoa, the event fulfilled an essential educational role. He described the meeting as “a historic and symbolic afternoon,” in which it became evident that “tolerance overcomes intolerance, forgiveness overcomes difficulties, and mutual respect builds paths to peace.”<\/p>\n

Ronaldo Sales, from the Borborema Ecumenical Center for Biblical Studies, highlighted the forward-looking nature of symbolic reparation. According to him, forgiveness and repentance should be understood as a commitment to the future. For Sales, the act inaugurates “the beginning of a process of changing mindsets regarding religions of African origin,” emphasizing the importance of public visibility of gestures of dialogue.<\/p>\n

Along the same lines, Alexandra Andrade, from the Borborema Ecumenical Center for Biblical Studies, the Ra\u00edzes e Gira project, and the Coordination of Affirmative Actions, Diversity and Human Rights (Cadidh) of the Pro-Rectorate for Community Affairs at UFCG, assessed the meeting as a necessary first step. For her, the event signals the importance of going beyond simple tolerance and advancing in education and awareness. “May today be the first step so that we can bring about this education, this awareness, and this respect, planting love among people, regardless of faith,” she stated.<\/p>\n

\u2028Gustavo Ara\u00fajo, representative of the Ra\u00edzes e Gira project, emphasized that religious diversity and freedom of belief are assets of Brazilian society. For him, the act reaffirms the need to promote “increasingly religious freedom and non-discrimination,” highlighting the MPF’s initiative as fundamental in this process.
\n\u2028Iranilza, a Potiguara indigenous woman with a doctorate in religious studies, assessed that the meeting broadens social understanding of the country’s cultural and religious plurality. According to her, “today’s event promotes this dialogue so that all religions and cultures are respected,” especially in a secular state that still faces challenges in this area.<\/p>\n

The ombudsman of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, Marc\u00edlio Franca, highlighted the procedural nature of building respect for religious diversity. For him, the act represents “a very important step in this journey,” emphasizing that more diverse and plural societies are better able to confront violence and promote social peace.<\/p>\n

\u2028Also participating in the event, among others, were the chief prosecutor of the MPF unit in Para\u00edba, Bruno Galv\u00e3o Paiva; the Federal Prosecutor Jos\u00e9 Guilherme Ferraz, coordinator of the collective guardianship area in the unit; the state secretary of the MPF, Jo\u00e3o Monteiro de Lima Netto, as well as employees and interns of the agency; representing the Presidency of the Court of Justice of Para\u00edba, the judge Graziela Queiroga Gadelha; the Public Prosecutor for Citizenship in Jo\u00e3o Pessoa, Fabiana Maria Lobo; Jadiele Berto, representing the State Secretariat for Women and Human Diversity; the coordinator for the Promotion of Racial Equality of the City Hall of Jo\u00e3o Pessoa, Carla Uedler; Francimar Fernandes, president of the Association for Support to Afro-descendant Settlements of Para\u00edba (AACADE \u2013 PB); and the professor from UFPB, Alessandra Fran\u00e7a.<\/p>\n

The case \u2013\u00a0The interfaith act stems from an investigation based on statements made by Father Danilo during a homily held in July 2025 at the Parish of S\u00e3o Jos\u00e9, in the municipality of Areial (PB), and broadcast on digital platforms. The statements constituted the crime of religious racism, as defined in article 20, \u00a7 2\u00ba-A, of Law n\u00ba 7.716\/1989, because they went beyond the realm of theological criticism and directly affected religions of African origin, with concrete effects on their communities.<\/p>\n

During the course of the investigation, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) collected testimonies from religious leaders and representatives of civil society, who reported significant social impacts resulting from the statements, such as increased hostility, the distancing of worshippers from religious centers, and the worsening of situations of fear, embarrassment, and stigmatization. The accounts revealed consequences that went beyond the individual level, reaching the daily lives and symbolic security of historically vulnerable religious communities.<\/p>\n

Given the body of evidence gathered and the legal classification of the conduct, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) deemed it appropriate to enter into a Non-Prosecution Agreement (ANPP), an instrument provided for in Brazilian criminal law for situations where there is no physical violence and the minimum sentence is less than four years, provided that the agreement proves sufficient for the reprobation and prevention of the crime. The decision to propose the ANPP was also based on the understanding of the Criminal Chamber (2CCR) of the MPF, as well as doctrinal works.<\/p>\n

Commitments made \u2013\u00a0The ratification hearing was held on January 21, 2026 (Religious Freedom Day), in the 16th Federal Court of Para\u00edba. The agreement established a series of obligations aimed at holding the investigated party accountable, preventing new discriminatory conduct, and repairing the damages caused, with an emphasis on measures of an educational, symbolic, and social nature.<\/p>\n

Among the agreed-upon conditions are participation in courses on racial literacy and religious intolerance, totaling 60 hours of training, as well as the reading and writing of handwritten reviews of works dedicated to racial issues and religions of African origin. The works are: \u201cJustice is a Black Woman,\u201d authored by public prosecutor L\u00edvia Sant’Anna Vaz and federal prosecutor Chiara Ramos; and \u201cAfro-Para\u00edba Cults: Jurema, Umbanda and Candombl\u00e9,\u201d by author Valdir Lima, who is also a Candombl\u00e9 priest. In addition, the production of a handwritten review of the documentary “Obatal\u00e1, the Father of Creation,” which pays homage to Mother Carmen and highlights the historical and cultural importance of Candombl\u00e9 for Brazil, is also included. The agreement also provides for the payment of financial compensation to the Association for the Support of Afro-descendant Communities (Aacade).<\/p>\n

The ANPP establishes specific deadlines for fulfilling the obligations assumed and provides that, in case of unjustified non-compliance, the criminal action may be resumed, taking advantage of the formal confession given by the investigated party at the time of judicial approval of the agreement.<\/p>\n

Case No. 0806480-46.2025.4.05.8200<\/p>\n

– – – – – –<\/p>\n

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TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY . An article from Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Para\u00edba (translation by CPNN) An interfaith event was held at the headquarters of the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) in Jo\u00e3o Pessoa, on Friday (6), and brought together representatives of different religious traditions, authorities and family members of singer Preta Gil, in compliance with … Continue reading Brazil: Interfaith event held at the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office celebrates a culture of peace in Para\u00edba.<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[77,14],"tags":[20],"class_list":["post-38854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-latin-america","category-tolerance","tag-latin-america"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38854","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=38854"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38854\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38865,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38854\/revisions\/38865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=38854"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=38854"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english.cpnn-world.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=38854"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}