G20 Summit plenary table donated to Rio de Janeiro municipal schools

The main table and auxiliary tables, built in modules, were divided into 116 double desks, totaling 232 study positions - Marcos de Paula/City Hall of Rio

The desk used by the leaders of the world's largest economies at the G20 Summit plenary session held on November 18 and 19 at the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) was donated to 12 municipal schools in Rio de Janeiro. The main desk and auxiliary desks, built in modules, were divided into 116 double desks, totaling 232 study positions, which will be used in the classrooms of students at Rio's municipal schools. The students will use the furniture used by the heads of state and government who came to Rio to discuss issues of global importance and who closed the G20's final declaration, including the presidents of the United States, China and France. This is the third batch of desks used during the G20 year in Rio to be donated to municipal schools. In total, 341 desks with 457 positions were provided to students at Rio's educational institutions.

– After such a special G20, which brought together the main heads of state of the most important countries here in Rio de Janeiro, received by President Lula and Mayor Eduardo Paes, we came to collect the tables and chairs that were used by powerful authorities. We have achieved yet another rich legacy for our education. Just as we had arenas that were turned into schools during the Olympics, we now have equipment, over 100 units that were used at the international summit and that will be used in our classrooms. Including the Lucas Saatkamp Olympic Medalist Municipal School in Maré, which was the winner of a contest about the G20. So, from MAM to Maré, from G20 to Rio de Janeiro’s education. It couldn’t be more symbolic for us, Rio’s education professionals, showing the potential of this fantastic network – celebrated the Secretary of Education, Renan Ferreirinha.

Students from the Olympic Medalist Lucas Saatkamp Technological Educational Gymnasium (GET), located in Maré, were the winners of the short film competition about the G20, organized by the Municipal Department of Education and the Rio G20 Committee. They read books about sustainability and the environment. After extensive research on the G20 and the key themes of the summit, such as hunger, poverty, inequality and sustainability, the short films were developed. The students had the opportunity to visit the MAM and visit the areas used during the summit.

– Rio City Hall realized a year and a half ago that it was impossible to hold the G1 without involving the entire city. There were 20 events, culminating in the leaders’ summit. And now the plenary sessions will be held in municipal schools. Many students from our education network participated in the G132 events as accredited official press, so that we could make the message clear: in 20 years, when the G20 returns to Brazil, these children will be the adults who will lead this process of building a more just and sustainable world. It is only fair that the tables of the powerful become the desks of Rio de Janeiro students, so that they can be inspired and build our future – said Lucas Padilha, president of the Rio G20 Committee, which was created in June 20 to prepare the city to host the G2023 Summit and attract events linked to the group of the world’s largest economies.

Leonardo Gabriel, 9, was one of the students from GET Lucas Saatkamp who visited the MAM. He enjoyed seeing the new desks, which have ample space for two students, and loved seeing the places where world leaders passed during the summits at the museum.

– Very cool! I really liked it! That ramp over there that the leaders climbed, very cool too. The desks will help a lot, because the tables will be bigger. We will be able to put more things, books, notebooks – celebrated Gabriel.

Alice Freitas, 7 years old, was delighted with the museum and very happy to receive the wallets that were used by world leaders.

– We will be able to have the tables where the presidents sat. We will use them a lot in our school, which will be more beautiful, cooler. I will learn more at this table, it will help me learn to read – said Alice.

In addition to the GET Olympic Medalist Lucas Saatkamp, ​​eleven other municipal schools, all named after countries, will receive the donation of G20 desks: the Canada Municipal School, in Estácio, the first to receive the new desks, the República Argentina Municipal School, in Maracanã, the Sweden Municipal School, in Pilares, the Chile Municipal School, in Olaria, the France Municipal School, in Piedade, the Belgium Municipal School, in Guadalupe, the Honduras Municipal School, in Praça Seca, the Costa do Marfim Municipal School, in Realengo, the Venezuela Municipal School, in Campo Grande, the Japan Municipal School, in Santa Cruz, and the Costa Rica Municipal School, on Ilha do Governador.

341 desks donated from G20 events, with 457 student positions

The first batch of 341 desks was donated in February. There were 177 desks that formed the table at the plenary session of the Meeting of Chancellors, at Marina da Glória. This first batch of furniture was destined for the Olympic Educational Gymnasiums (GEOs), a school model inspired by the legacy of the 2016 Rio Olympics. In August, the department received another 48 desks – these were used in the meeting of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, held at Galpão da Cidadania, in July, and were taken to bilingual schools. The G20 desks went to the Afonso Várzea, Epitácio Pessoa and Aleksander Henryk Laks Educational Technological Gymnasiums (GETs), which teach English, German and Spanish, respectively. In addition to the GETs, CIEP Samuel Wainer and Escola Municipal Orsina da Fonseca, which teach Mandarin, and Escola Municipal Profaª Didia Machado Fortes, which teaches French, also received material in the second batch.