Sports School
The new government of Belém insists that recreation and sport is a human right; equally important, it is a way to include poor people in the collective life of the city. For a left wing government in a poor city, this means that sport is a privileged space in the struggle for a just society.
Sports are a metaphor for participation. Traditionally, people just went to sporting events or saw them on TV -- just like politics, the only way that common people could be an actor was by rooting for their favorite team or candidate. On the other hand, participating in sports -- not just watching, but playing -- is a school for civic participation.
The Sports School is based around educators, some of whom are paid but the majority of whom are volunteers, who teach sports in poor neighborhoods -- everything from soccer to chess. They use every available public space: streets, plazas, parks, churches... anywhere that people can play a sport. When there is money, the program also builds fields and gyms.
Because the program’s goal is inclusion, educators are very careful to include people who haven’t ever been able to play sports -- the elderly, girls, mothers, boys who hate the macho football culture, gays and lesbians... Educators and community leaders learn how to lead without excluding: What are the games that old people like to play? How can we do outreach to gays? How can we get girls to keep coming?
Escola de Esportes
Secretaria Municipal de Educação, Coordinação de Esporte, Arte, e Lazer
Avenida Almirante Barroso 2174
Marco, Belém, PA 66060 230
91 276 3493
Contacto: Fátima Monteiro (“Macapá”), macaesport@bol.com.br
