I arrived in Sao Paolo, this past week. With some 20 million people in the metropolitan area and 40 million total in greater Sao Paolo area, it is the biggest city in South America. From Guarulhos airport it was a long bus ride into the city, and after that I had to jostle my way through the early morning crowds with my backpack and bookbag, and cram msyelf onto the overflowing subway.
Later that morning, I arrived thoroughly exausted at the CEPATEC, which is a hostel of sorts that the Landless Workers Movement (MST) runs. Luckily for me, this past weekend was the National Congress of the MST Youth, and students and militantes (MST members) travelled from all over Brasil for the conference held just outside of Sao Paolo. On Saturday I took an hour long busride into the country to the Congreso, which was held at the Escola Florestal Ferndandes, the national MST school for political and ideological development.
During the day I attended a few lectures on the current role of the Juventud (Youth) in the moviment. I also was given an overview of the objectives and foundations of the movement, which are centered around equal and just land (re)distribution, agroecology (organic agriculture focused on the cultivation diverse crops), and a theoretical resistance to capitalism and big time mono-culture agribusiness.
I met MST militantes from over 10 different Brazilian states and also other visitors from Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay, and even the US, most of whom are part of agrarian reform movements in their respective countrys, and also members of La Via Campesina (The Peasant Way). La Via Campesina is an international peasant movement made up of members from over 60 countries and is focused on issues of agrarian reform, food soverignty, and sustainable agriculture. With over a million members, the MST is the the largest national faction of La Via Campesina and is very active in organizing and supporting the international movement.
Although it was difficult to wade through the rapid-fire portuguese of the younger members, it was great to meet young MST members from different regions, backgrounds, and lifestyles, some representing their rural MST settlements, and others university students in the city.
The Escola National Florestal is a dynamic space where rural, urban, and international issues and people are brought together to debate and advance issues of agrarian reform and also develop significant connections and relationships in Brazil and South America.
Although it was difficult to wade through the rapid-fire portuguese of the younger members, it was great to meet young MST members from different regions, backgrounds, and lifestyles, some representing their rural MST settlements, and others university students in the city.
The Escola National Florestal is a dynamic space where rural, urban, and international issues and people are brought together to debate and advance issues of agrarian reform and also develop significant connections and relationships in Brazil and South America.
