At the inauguration of the new Ministry of Culture cabinet, Minister Gil sang, and the newly appointed secretaries applauded!

Brasília - The Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, inaugurated his working team today and said in his speech that the key word for the ministry is integration. The work of the new team, he added, should be carried out in partnership with other ministries. The inauguration ceremony, at Teatro Plínio Marcos - Sala Funarte -, included the presence of several artists and also the ministers of Labor, Jaques Wagner, and of National Integration, Ciro Gomes. The minister showed his well known side as a singer during the ceremony. He sat at the front of the table where the newly sworn executives of his ministry were and sang three songs, accompanying himself on the guitar. He sang Drão, a song from the 1980s dedicated to his ex-wife Sandra; then performed Three Little Birds, from Bob Marley, and finished with his recent big hit, Esperando na Janela. He received loud applause. Singing at a ceremony like this is, for the minister, "to give politics a little ballet". "It is a way to relax the gestures of the Republic. It is the dancing politics of the 21st century." In the afternoon, at the Planalto Palace, Gil sang again at a ceremony to sign a decree that declares 2003 the commemorative year of the 100th anniversary of composer Ary Barroso. Accompanied by two Minas duos Célia and Selma and Célio and Marcos, the minister sang "Aquarela do Brasil", one of Ary Barroso's greatest hits. Gilberto Gil, who faced resistance in the PT after being announced as minister by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, commented: "The Ministry of Culture turned out the way Lula wanted". This is the minister's team that took office today:

OFFICIAL TEAM

 Antônio Risério, poet, writer and special advisor José Almino, writer and president of the Casa Ruy Barbosa Foundation Juca Ferreira, environmentalist and executive secretary of MinC Marcelo Carvalho Ferraz, architect and general coordinator of the Monumenta Program Márcio Meira, anthropologist and secretary of Heritage, Museums and Visual Arts Maria Elisa da Costa, urban planner and president of the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) Orlando Senna, filmmaker and secretary of Audiovisual Paulo Miguez, university professor and special advisor Pedro Corrêa, economist and president of the National Library Foundation Roberto Pinho, anthropologist and special advisor Sérgio Mamberti, actor and secretary of Music and Performing Arts Sérgio Xavier, journalist and chief of staff to the Minister Wally Salomão, poet and secretary of Books and Reading

REQUEST

After swearing in his executives, the Minister of Culture received the UNESCO representative, Jorge Werthein, who came to discuss activities that UNESCO is developing with the Ministry. Jorge presented the Open Schools Program and asked for the minister's help. The project, which already operates in some states, aims to bring children and teenagers closer to school by developing cultural and sports activities. The two also set the date for the minister's visit to Paris, where he will meet the Director-General of UNESCO.