Brazil, university students nationwide debate concerning issues in Congress

*UNE Movement fights for social justice and fair education *Congress of UNE Movement showcase its 88-year success

Transcript

00:00and young people from all over Brazil gathering Recife this week for the

00:03biannual congress of the National Student Union.

00:06A correspondent by Amir has the details.

00:13Thousands of students traveled in bus convoys from across Brazil to Recife

00:17this week for the biannual congress of the National University Students Union

00:22or UNI. After a series of debates on the political conjecture and cultural

00:27exchange activities they held an assembly where they voted on their

00:31priorities for the next two years. In addition to school reforms they

00:35agreed to fight for a tax on large fortunes and an end to the six-day work

00:40week.

00:45This year is important for social mobilization.

00:49The social movements have a task to do and the National Students Union is

00:53rising to the challenge which is to block the right-wing

00:57extremist agenda that punishes the working class and the Brazilian people.

01:04Founded in 1937 the UNI is one of Brazil's largest and oldest social

01:09movements. Historically connected to the communist

01:12party it was a key player in the fight against Brazil's military dictatorship.

01:16During the Bolsonaro administration UNI mobilized over a million people to the

01:21streets in two occasions triggering the

01:23resignation of four education ministers and blocking the government from

01:28charging tuition in public universities.

01:33Students from across Brazil came here and spent five days discussing the

01:37future of our nation. We spoke about ideas for new public

01:40policies including how to reform our universities so we could decide what

01:45steps we need to take to create a country that is better and fairer.

01:49The story of the National Students Union is intertwined with the story of Brazil

01:53our struggle continues to defeat the far right

01:56and move forward so the people can have the dignity of the quality education

02:00needed to defend Brazil. The size and success of the event shows

02:05that 88 years after its founding Latin America's largest student movement

02:10remains an influential force in Brazilian politics.

02:14Brian Muir, TELUSIR, Recife.