International bank donates $800,000 to establish Amazon museum
The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) approved an $800,000 grant on Tuesday (Jun. 11) for the creation of the Amazon Museum in Belém, the capital of Pará state. The museum will be housed in one of the city's port warehouses and will serve as a legacy of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), set to take place there in November 2025.
“A legacy of COP30, the Museu das Amazônias will be a center for scientific and cultural dissemination, giving a voice to its inhabitants and communities in a lasting, constructive, and interactive way. It will foster a new, inclusive tourist destination,” said Aloizio Mercadante, president of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), at a ceremony at the bank's headquarters. BNDES will provide technical support for the project. The governor of Pará, Hélder Barbalho, also attended the ceremony virtually.
CAF's CEO, Sergio Díaz-Granados, described the museum as a hub for information and training, highlighting the complexity and richness of the Amazon. “With this initial funding, we will launch this initiative, supported by BNDES in its role as a facilitator of partnerships necessary for building this valuable Brazilian cultural asset,” he stated.
Governor Helder Barbalho emphasized the initiative's role "in the educational and pedagogical process of our visitors, as well as in the construction of a more sustainable, innovative, resilient, and equitable Amazon for all."
The CAF funds will be allocated to implementing the executive projects necessary for constructing the museum, focusing on technical quality and sustainability.
International cooperation encompasses programs for research, innovation, technological development, and the preservation of traditional local and ancestral knowledge. It also includes training programs for teachers, educators, and researchers, as well as collaborative networks among key stakeholders, fostering the exchange of experiences and the adoption of educational and scientific-cultural practices related to the Amazon.
