By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – On Saturday, March 19th, the São Paulo-based nonprofit, investigative journalism agency, Agência Pública will inaugurate a new journalism center, Casa Pública, in the Rio de Janeiro neighborhood of Botafogo. Creators envision the space as the future home for discussions and support of investigative and independent journalism.
“In the past five years, Agência Pública has persistently covered violations of the rights of Brazilians,” the project creators stated in a press release.
“The goal is to strengthen the production of quality content and depth, guided by the public interest and in the defense of democracy, at a time of an explosion of new initiatives, collectives, websites and organizations that purport to produce journalism outside the traditional news industry.”
Programming for the free day-long inauguration event will begin at 1PM with the opening of the venue. At 2PM Tai Nalon of Aos Fatos and Cristina Tardáguila of Agência Lupa will host a forum where they interview Laura Zommer of of the Argentinian fact-checking website Chequeado.
Then at 4PM, Marina Amaral of Agência Pública will interview Chico Otávio of O Globo and Rubens Valente of Folha de S. Paulo about investigative political journalism.
On display during the inauguration will be the photography exhibition, “Legados – olhares diversos sobre os megaeventos esportivos” (Legacies – different views on the mega sports events).
The exhibition features works by photographers from across Brazil including Ana Carolina Fernandes, Canindé Soares, Carlos Junior, Davi Pinheiro/Nigéria, Deivyson Teixeira, Gustavo Minas, Hélia Scheppa, João Roberto Ripper, Kátia Carvalho, Luiz Baltar, Mídia NINJA, and Tércio Teixeira/R.U.A Foto Coletivo.
Following the inauguration, the space will be open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10AM to 9PM. In the future organizers hope to host additional exhibitions, as well as, film screenings, journalism events and workshops.
For more information about Casa Pública, see the official website.
What: Inauguration of Casa Pública
When: Saturday, March 19th, 1PM to 10:30 PM
Where: Rua Dona Mariana, 81 – Botafogo
Entrance: FREE