Festival LivMundi Promotes Sustainability on Oct 8-9th in Rio

By Sarah Brown, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Festival LivMundi will take over several spaces in Gavea and Jardim Botânico between Saturday, October 8th and Sunday, October 9th. Through a series of speeches, seminars and workshops, LivMundi simultaneously will educate about broad concepts in sustainability whilst breaking it down to a local level to show how individuals can lead a sustainable life.

Additionally, there will be yoga classes, an organic fair with local products, cooking workshops for healthy, fresh meals and children’s activities, providing an experience that is both educational and stimulating.

“In LivMundi we will discuss in a positive way, a matter of great concern: how our choices affect our lives and the future of the next generations”, explains Luciane Coutinho, partner of MashUp and the project founder. “Our proposal is to help the citizens of Rio to promote a change in habits of simple and healthy way.”

The festival draws together the best minds and most significant organizations in the sector, giving a first-time opportunity to talk about sustainability with a multidisciplinary approach. Sergio Besserman, an economist and President of Jardim Botânico, will begin the event on Saturday 8th with a series of lectures at Teatro Tom Jobim.

Other guest speakers include Daniel Becker, Clarisse Linke and André Carvalhal. Eduarda Roque will finish the event on the 9th at 6PM with a lecture at Teatro Tom Jobim. “Our idea is to make people understand that we can live better, individually and in community with the resources that already exist, as well as creating a space to present new ideas and alternatives for a more sustainable society,” says Luciane Coutinho. The hope is that after the anticipated success of the festival, it will become a permanent event in the official city calendar.

The organic fair will be held at Praça Santos Dumont and will reunite Junta Local and Circuito de Feiras Orgânicos to present the freshest produce that is both organic and produced locally. Additionally, Regina Tchely from Favela Orgânica will be giving a series of workshops that teaches how to make simple recipes from the parts of food that is usually thrown away, such as broccoli leaves and pineapple skins.

Children can participate in various stimulating and interactive programs, such as the sensory activities and workshops for home gardens. Additionally, there will be a handmade paper workshops and a workshop that creates objects with bamboo.

Children can participate in various stimulating and interactive programs, such as the sensory activities and workshops for home gardens. Additionally, there will be a handmade paper workshops and a workshop that creates objects with bamboo.

The festival program is spread throughout Jardim Botânico, Laje, Praça Santos Dumont and Espaço Nirvana, the latter both in Gavea. All the spaces are linked through sign posts directing and guiding visitors from one point until the next, with the main reference point as Jardim Botanico, known as Organismo Vivo during the event. The idea is to increase accessibility and mobility, to encourage walking rather than using public transport or cars.

The lectures are free yet have limited spaces and interest in attending should be completed online to guarantee a place. The event will run each day from 9AM until 7PM.

What: Festival LivMundi
When: October 8th – October 9th, Saturday to Sunday from 9AM – 7PM
Where: Jardim Botânico, Laje, Praça Santos Dumont and Espaço Nirvana.
Entrance: FREE