The historic center of Oeiras, west of Lisbon, hosts the "Brazil Week" from September 4 to 13, an initiative created by Portuguese people with the aim of bringing together Portuguese and Brazilian communities and countering rejection discourses, under the motto "go back to your country". The event is promoted by the Commercial and Business Association of the Municipalities of Oeiras and Amadora (ACECOA), in co-organization with the Oeiras Municipal Council and the Parish Council of Oeiras, São Julião da Barra, Paço de Arcos and Caxias, with partnerships from Brazilian entities such as Embratur, ApexBrasil and the Instituto Caju Brasil.
The program, curated by Pedro Mendanha Dias and Raquel Lopes Chami, brings together 38 establishments in the historic center, eight of which will adapt their menus to present dishes and menus inspired by Brazil. Over ten days, more than 50 gastronomic and cultural activities are planned, including cachaça tastings, cooking workshops, discussions about Brazilian poetry and literature, musical performances, a samba circle and a dinner dedicated to Brazilian gastronomy.
In statements to the Portuguese news agency, Pedro Mendanha Dias explained that the initiative aims to "counter this trend" and assumed as a principle the bringing together of the two peoples, describing the event as "created by Portuguese people for the community". Raquel Lopes Chami highlighted that the event seeks to give prominence to Brazilian products with identity and origin, many of them produced by family businesses, small-scale family farmers and cooperatives.
The gastronomic curator also argued that the objective is not only to present the products to the Portuguese public, but also to show their potential for gastronomy and create opportunities for chefs, restaurants and professionals in Portugal to discover these ingredients and incorporate them into their kitchens, highlighting the historical and gastronomic proximity between the two countries.
