The following information is posted on behalf of Lucia Maria Velloso de Oliveira, the President of the Brazilian Archives Association.
The National Archives of Brazil
As many of you will know, this new year has brought a change in the government of Brazil after the elections of last December. This has resulted in an announcement in the media of a change in the status of the National Archives of Brazil that has left Brazilian archivists astonished and alarmed. The National Archives has been part of the structure of the Presidency since 2000; however it is about to be transferred to the Ministry of Justice – a move sideways and downwards - that will diminish its autonomy and authority.
The Brazilian Archivists Association has written to the new Minister Antonio Palocci asking that the National Archives remain permanently under the Presidency and now it is requesting an audience to discuss all the potential problems the proposed change can cause to the archival situation in Brazil. Currently there is a public petition with more than 1.900 signatures asking for the maintenance of the National Archives under the Presidency. On the 5th January there was a meeting in the Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro to discuss the issue. This resulted in the nomination of delegates to speak to the Minister for Justice and the Minister Antonio Palocci and also that on the 11 th January there will be a public act of support in the National Archives which will climax with a symbolic hug around its building.
Please share and spread this information in your archivist's network to support the National Archives of Brazil.
Lucia Maria Velloso de Oliveira
President of the Brazilian Archivists Association – AAB
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A posting from the ICA list providing a positive update on the situation in Brazil
News about the situation of the National Archives, Brazil.
The Association of Brazilian Archivists (AAB) would like to inform our international colleagues that on the 17th of January the National Archives of Brazil was transferred to the structure of the Ministry of Justice.
On the 12th the Minister of Justice, José Eduardo Cardozo, met with members of the Committee chosen to represent the archival community's point of view on the matter. At that meeting, the minister undertook, within one year, to strengthen the National Archives with regard to its statutory duties, administrative and budgetary issues, as well as conducting a national conference on national policy for archives.
After that meeting the AAB Board met and decided to reaffirm that the National Archives should continue to be integrated into the structure of Presidency as the best position to develop and articulate public archival policy. However AAB will keep a dialogue with the Ministry of Justice, given the commitment of the Minister to strengthen the National Archives within one year; define the archival public policy; and organize a national Conference on Archival Policy. The AAB wants to participate in those processes because considers that the discussion may not only strengthen the National Archives, but archives in general and the status and position of archive and information professionals.
The Committee reunited on the 18th of January to discuss the future actions of the community involved in the cause. It was decided that though we all agree that the best position of the National Archives is in the Presidency, the Committee will keep the dialogue with the Minister of Justice. The Committee will defend the National Archives and a development of a National Archival Policy; follow closely the developments in the future year and intends to participate in the organization of the National Conference on Archival National Policy proposed by the Minister of Justice. During these past days we got the support of more than 3,500 professionals, students, and scholars in Brazil and over the world. We thank you all for the support.
Lucia Maria Velloso de Oliveira
President of the Association of Brazilian Archivists (AAB