Brazilian National Day 2023

My Lords, ladies and gentlemen,

A very good evening and a warm welcome to the Embassy of Brazil for this celebration of our National Day. 

We have just listened to the captivating rhythms of the Amazonian percussion music. The first of our “musical moments” of the evening. After these words, there will be a second “musical moment”, with a Rio de Janeiro theme, and we will conclude the evening with a third “musical moment” featuring Sounds of the World.

I am truly honoured to stand here today to welcome you all, on this unusually sunny 7^th of September, which I can only interpret as an auspicious start to my tenure as Ambassador of Brazil to the UK and to Brazil-UK relations.

2023 is proving to be a very important year for Brazilian diplomacy. As President Lula recently said, “Brazil is back”. Brazil is back with a new government, and this new government brings with it a renewed universalist approach to foreign policy. A foreign policy that stretches both geographically and thematically:

Geographically, because we are keen to strengthen relationships with nations in every corner of the world. 

Thematically, because Brazil is engaged in the entire spectrum of issues in the international agenda: from climate change to the promotion of development with social justice; from energy transition to food security; from the promotion of peace to the furthering of human rights.

It is in this spirit that we are looking forward to the upcoming Brazilian presidency of the G20 in 2024, the COP-30 Summit in Belem in 2025, and more broadly to a renewed commitment to multilateralism.

2023 is an important year for the bilateral relationship between Brazil and the United Kingdom, two vibrant multi-ethnic democracies. President Lula was extremely pleased to be present at the coronation of King Charles III and to have met with Prime Minister Sunak in London. 

We are also working towards a meeting of the two leaders on the margins of the upcoming G20 Summit in India. No less significant was the visit of Foreign Secretary James Cleverly to Brazil in May.

All these meetings and a series of upcoming events reflect the importance that both our countries attach to the relationship. I feel privileged to be serving as ambassador in the UK at this precise juncture and I am filled with optimism by the momentum that we have started to build.

I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge the excellent embassy team that I have found here in London. With their dedication and support, from this attractive building in the heart of London, the Embassy will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen the ties with this great country — academia, artists, NGOs, think-tanks, the business community, financial institutions.

I am confident that the dynamic partnership that we have forged so far can become an even more strategic one. 

I wish you all an enjoyable evening.

Thank you very much indeed.