João Pessoa launches municipal racial‑equality council and expands anti‑racism actions

On Brazil’s National Day of Combat against Racial Discrimination, João Pessoa’s municipal government highlighted its ongoing anti‑racism programmes, including mental‑health support, legal aid, and a dedicated reporting app for incidents of racism and religious intolerance. Coordinadora de Promoção da Igualdade Racial Carla Wedler said, “The day is a call to collective consciousness; racism still wounds, excludes, kills and limits lives,” and stressed the municipality’s efforts to turn public indignation into concrete assistance.

A few days later the newly formed Conselho Municipal de Políticas de Promoção da Igualdade Racial (Compir) held its first ordinary meeting. New president Wellington Pereira, a Mestre Sariê, pledged to “reactivate equality policies and create conditions and opportunities for our people across all sectors.” Coordinadora Carla Uedler added that the council will strengthen social control and broaden civil‑society participation. The council, composed of 32 elected members (16 titular and 16 alternates) representing municipal departments, social movements and traditional communities, will coordinate with the Coordinadoria and municipal secretariats to develop policies in education, health, culture, housing and other areas for Black, Indigenous, quilombola, Afro‑Brazilian and other historically marginalized groups.