Professor Ildeu de Castro Moreira, re-elected president of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science (SBPC), came to thank Unicamp for the example of holding an important event that can contribute to calling on the entire country's community to mobilize and position itself clearly in the face of of the difficult moment experienced by the public university, the science and technology system and education as a whole. “The university – and Unicamp in particular – has a very important role in debating and articulating with other sectors to overcome the difficulties we are facing, also with accelerated destruction in the environment and in which economic power values only one sector, that of financiers.”
Ildeu Moreira recalls that the SBPC has 144 affiliated scientific entities from all areas of knowledge, promoting resistance actions against the dismantling of the S&T system, as well as with parliamentarians and ministers, informing them that the budget for the sector in 2020 is catastrophic. “We had a drastic cut for the CNPq, Capes had its budget cut in half and Finep saw 90% of its resources coming from frozen economic sectors. They also talk about the merger of CNPq with Capes, agencies that have been fundamental for decades and that would be discontinued, it's a stupid decision. In addition to acting against this dismantling, we must also think ahead, in a country project, with businesspeople, workers and the university that has this social obligation.”
Oswaldo Alves, professor at the Unicamp Chemistry Institute, participated in the extraordinary assembly representing the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (ABC), of which he is vice-president. “I came to talk about the problems in the science and technology system, indicating possible solutions and actions by the Academy to reverse some situations and work towards preserving the achievements over all these years. We are supporting this movement today and it is important that we have several throughout the country, enlightening the population about the importance of S&T, that many of the problems that afflict us can be solved through research carried out in laboratories.”
The vice-president clarifies that ABC has been working within this context, but acting at the level of the National Congress, especially now with the launch in July of the Mixed Parliamentary Front for Science, Technology, Research and Innovation. “The Parliamentary Front has helped us modify some decisions taken recently, mainly in relation to scholarships and the burning issue which is the possibility of merging CNPq with Capes – the Academy is absolutely against it as it believes that these two bodies, created decades ago , have complementary roles within the S&T system. The Front helps us, above all, in obtaining signatures for public hearings, such as the one scheduled for the 17th to deal with many of the issues that will be discussed at this Unicamp assembly.”
The National Association of Postgraduate Students (ANPG), sent Flávia Calé da Silva, a master's student in history at USP, to greet the Unicamp community, noting that it is the only Brazilian university with more postgraduate students than undergraduates. “This assembly is an example for all universities, precisely when autonomy is once again attacked. They attack because we account for 90% of scientific production. There is no development and sovereignty without the university. The way is to take to the streets across the country to secure public universities.”
André von Zuben, Secretary of Economic, Social and Tourism Development of Campinas and president of the Municipal Science and Technology Council, highlighted the important role of Unicamp in the development of research, innovation, culture and also for the economy not only in the region but also in from the country. “The city has a very special affection for the University. The S&T Council joins this fight in the face of setbacks in education, science and the environment. We live in a moment of resistance, which will only happen if we unite. Only with this pluralism will we have a voice to defend the university’s flags.”
The National Union of Students (UNE) was present through president Iago Montalvão, who defended the same space for assemblies at USP and Unesp, encouraging greater student participation in organizing the fight to “save the country from the moment of obscurantism”: “ We need to draw people’s attention to the importance of the university and how it is being attacked, calling for marches and speaking more and more to the people.” Also in the opinion of Caio Iuje, president of the State Union of Students (UEE), the Unicamp assembly is an example for other Brazilian universities: “It is important that everyone mobilizes, it is with unity that we will return to the streets defending education quality public service. We will not lose to a government that does not believe in education.”
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