Brazil's Lula signs decree creating National Policy for Traditional and Popular Cultures

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, together with Culture Minister Margareth Menezes, signed Decree No. 12.981 on 21‑22 May, establishing Brazil’s National Policy for Traditional and Popular Cultures. The measure creates a permanent public framework to recognize, protect and finance cultural expressions transmitted orally or through community practice, including Indigenous, quilombola, riverine, caiçara, Afro‑Brazilian and other popular groups.

The policy sets up a national managing committee and encourages participation by states and municipalities, seeking to link culture with education, tourism, sustainable development and the creative economy. It formally acknowledges “masters and mistresses” of popular culture as living heritage, proposes new data collection on cultural practices, and outlines funding sources from existing cultural incentive laws, the Aldir Blanc program, public budgets and donations. While specific budget allocations are not defined, the decree aims to foster income generation, regional craftsmanship, traditional gastronomy and community‑based tourism across Brazil.