Deputies attend the launch of the International News Agency
Arlindo Chinaglia: this is a tool for other peoples to get to know the Chamber and, as a result, our country
At the launch of the International version of the Chamber News Agency – a news service in English and Spanish with information about voting and debates on subjects of international significance – the President of the Chamber, Arlindo Chinaglia, emphasized the importance of offering an additional tool for “other peoples to get to know the Chamber and, as a result, our country.”
The International version of the Chamber News Agency was inaugurated on Thursday, (11/27), with the presence of the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Arlindo Chinaglia (PT-SP), and of the Presidents of the Committee on External Relations and National Defense, Deputy Marcondes Gadelha (PSB-PB) and of the Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, Deputy André de Paula (DEM-PE). Several deputies also participated in the event, in addition to journalists and representatives of foreign embassies.
Costs and content
The International Chamber News Agency will publish a daily selection of news about Economy, Regulation, Environment, Human Rights, Industry, Agriculture, among other subjects. The translated articles will be available on the day after the publishing of the news in Portuguese by the Chamber Agency.
Arlindo Chinaglia reminded that the International News Agency will not represent any additional cost to the Chamber, since there will be a relocation of employees. The content will be produced by a team from the Chamber Agency itself, and the translation will be performed by a company that had previously won a contract from the House.
The President of the Chamber believes that this service will bring more requests for consultation about the Legislative from abroad. He expects that the congresspeople will help to answer questions that may arise, and asked the Secretary of Communication, Roberto Seabra, that the Governing Board of the Chamber be informed about questions arising as a result of the start-up of the new service.
Information gap
The director of the Chamber Agency, Patricia Roedel, stated that this new tool on the House website will fulfill an existing gap in raising awareness of Brazil abroad. “Nowadays, everything that is known about Brazil in other countries comes from the Executive Branch. It is in the Legislature that the great debates, approvals and even rejections of important subjects that will have great repercussion abroad happen”.
Spanish
The president of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and on National Defense, Deputy Marcondes Gadelha (PSB-PB), pointed out that, at this moment, in which we face an international crisis, the act of showing the work done by Congress is also a way of marking Brazil’s presence on the international stage. According to the deputy, the service in Spanish is especially important as a tool for Brazil to come closer to neighbor countries.
Polemic subject
The president of the Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, Deputy André de Paula (DEM-PE), emphasized that the International News Agency will be an important digital tool to divulge the concern of the Legislative with the environment. “Environmental subjects, in addition to being controversial, are worldwide concerns.” André de Paula also stressed that the service is an additional means of giving transparency to the actions of the Chamber.
Constitution in English
During the event, the Chamber also launched the English Edition of the 1988 Constitution, prepared by the Documentation and Information Center, and an exhibition of photographs of the main legislative activities in 2007 and 2008 was opened.
The Brazilian Constitution will soon be available on the Chamber of Deputies´ website, in English and Spanish.
Regina Céli Assumpção/Rejane Xavier
Translation: Positive